£720,000 funding for voluntary and community sector
St Albans City and District Council has awarded £720k in funding over the next three years to Citizens Advice St Albans District, Community Central and Open Door.
Together, the three voluntary and community sector organisations provide crucial services locally.
Citizens Advice offers guidance to people on a range of issues, while Hightown Housing Association’s Open Door services provide housing support to people who are homeless. Community Central, formerly St Albans CVS, sources volunteers for the voluntary and community sector and gives local charities, community groups and social enterprises advice and support.
Last night, Cabinet agreed to award the three organisations funding from the Strategic Commissioning Fund for the period 2018/19 to 2020/21, as follows:
- Citizens Advice St Albans District: £100,122 per annum p.a.
- Community Central: £69,174 p.a.
- Hightown Housing Association’s Open Door service: £71,710 p.a.
The Strategic Commissioning Fund provides core funding over a three-year period to voluntary and community sector organisations offering services that meet key local needs.
All three organisations are current recipients of the Fund. Cabinet’s decision means they will continue to receive core funding at the same level up to 2020/21.
Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion at St Albans City and District Council, said: “These voluntary and community sector organisations offer services that are strategically important to the District and meet the needs of the local community. This Council funding means that they can continue to develop these crucial services over the long-term so support is provided to the most vulnerable in our District.”
In addition, Citizens Advice and Community Central will continue to receive in-
kind support, in the form of office accommodation at the Hub at the Civic Centre. This is currently worth £82,000 per annum.
The Strategic Commissioning Fund is just one of four Council funds that provides support and funding to the voluntary and community sector.
In 2017/18, the Council allocated £512,006 in total to the voluntary and community sector.
More information about the way that St Albans City and District Council distributes funding to the voluntary and community sector is available at: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/grants
A webcast of the Cabinet meeting on Thursday 21 December is also available on the Council’s website as well as the supporting Cabinet papers.
Picture: Cllr Alec Campbell.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion, St Albans City and District Council
Phone: 01582 767621
Email: cllr.b.ellis@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson, Senior Communications Officer St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
Email: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
Note:
The Hub is an information, advice and guidance centre located in the Civic Centre at St Peter’s Street, St Albans. A range of organisations offer services at the Hub, including Citizens Advice and Community Central