Decision

To award a Community Grant of £35,000 to Dramatize Community Interest Company to set up and operate a social value café at Millmead Kitchen, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, GU2 4BB.

Reasons for the decision

The establishment of a social value café with Dramatize will enable to Council to maximise the wider social and community benefits of the office facilities at Millmead, with an aim that Dramatize will become financially independent.

The café will provide meaningful work experience and skills development opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, promote inclusion, and offer staff and visitors access to additional lunch and refreshment options.

The proposal also supports the development of the building as a welcoming community hub, enabling residents to access a range of support and providing community organisations with opportunities to deliver services locally. The initiative therefore offers benefits beyond the provision of a cafe, supporting the Council’s wider social value objectives.

Alternative options considered

An alternative option considered was to proceed with the café without providing grant funding to support its initial operation. However, this would have affected the organisation's ability to establish a sustainable service, particularly through its initial period of operation, and could increase the risk of the café being unable to deliver the intended social value and community benefits.

Other options included seeking alternative funding, reducing the scope of the proposed service, or allowing Dramatize to operate on a fully self-financing basis. However, these approaches were considered to limit the opportunities available to adults with learning disabilities and reduce the cafe's contribution to the wider community hub.