Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: October 14, 2025

Purpose:

Content: Salford City Council - Record of Decision (Cabinet)   I Paul Dennett, City Mayor, in exercise of the powers contained within the City Council Constitution do hereby approve: ·         Authorise the proposed use of the £941,000 funding allocated to Salford from the Greater Manchester (GM) Live Well Implementation Support Fund towards the local roll out of the Live Well programme, as detailed in the report. ·         Authorise the allocation for 50% of this funding (£470,500) to passported directly to the VCSE sector (via Salford CVS) to be used for, supporting the ‘places’ element of the work. ·         Authorise use of the remaining 50% funding (£470,500) to be invested in the VCSE-led Wellbeing Matters social prescribing programme, managed by Salford CVS The Reasons are: Salford is well placed to implement the key principles of the GM Live Well programme through existing workstreams such as; ·         Our approach to prevention programme which aims to build and strengthen prevention and early intervention across the city working together with partners and communities. ·         Our Ignite programme aims to deliver a new targeted prevention model for adult social care to prevent, reduce, and delay the need for a care act assessment. ·         Our Salford Locality Health and Care Neighbourhoods Transformation Group aims to deliver more safe, effective, and integrated neighbourhood services (as part of the NHS’s Ten Year Health Plan). ·         Our work implementing the GM Economic Inactivity Trailblazer programme through Elevate Salford and the Salford Employment Hub is delivering positive results in supporting more people on a pathway into work. ·         Our WorkWell Vanguard Service is providing evidence-based support to individuals with their occupational health needs and to overcome barriers to work. Options considered and rejected were: To not accept this grant and invest this money in Salford. Assessment of Risk: Medium The source of funding is: Grant awarded to SCC by GMCA   Legal Advice obtained: The report sets out the Council’s proposed approach to implementing GM Live Well locally and seek Cabinet approval for how funding will be allocated to support the programme. GMCA approved the GM Live Well Implementation Support funding of £941,000, based on a per capita approach, and the proposal is for 50% of the funding to be used direct to the VCSE sector and the remaining 50% to support VCSE-led social prescribing programmes. It is important that the Council complies with the terms of the grant offer letter received from GMCA and that its use is in line with the terms and requirements for the purposes of the fund as set out in the body of the report, with additional expectations also required as described, to avoid any potential clawback for failure to comply. The distribution of grant funding by the Council is excluded from the competition requirements set out in the Council’s Contractual Standing Orders as grant funding is a different type of legal arrangement to a services contract with different implications. Contracts for goods and services (and works) are subject to public procurement legislation, but grants are not contracts for provision of services so are not subject to the procurement rules. Grants are also not subject to VAT., whereas services contracts are. Should the Council wish to passport the terms of the funding to receiving organisations, Legal Services will be happy to assist in drafting any appropriate back-to-back funding agreements to protect its position. The programme builds on existing work being undertaken in the city with partner organisations and Salford CVS, and the two proposals for the use of the funding compliment that work. Governance and leadership of the Fund is provided by the establishment of the Live Well Steering group to oversee the implementation and monitor allocation of funding and performance, as well as risks and financial management. The steering group will report to the local Health and Wellbeing Board to ensure political oversight is also provided, as set out in section 7 of the report. It should also be noted that the Subsidy Control Act recently came into force on 4th January 2023 (together with Government statutory guidance). These replace the previous State Aid rules. The purpose of the regime is to assist public authorities to award subsidies in a way which minimises any negative impacts to competition and investment. When providing financial assistance to a third party, the Council should consider whether the award may constitute a subsidy that would give a provider an economic advantage which would have the effect of distorting competition with other providers operating in the same marketplace. The Subsidy Control regime is permissive in comparison to the previous State Aid regime, in that a subsidy can still be compliantly awarded if it complies with the seven ‘subsidy control principles’ (or alternatively falls within the recipient’s Minimum Financial Assistance threshold of £315,000 over the previous 3 financial years). It is important to ensure that the Council has an appropriate audit trail to demonstrate that it has considered the ‘is it a subsidy’ test and, where applicable, the application of the subsidy control principles in case an award was challenged. Shared Legal Services can support with this analysis if required.   Even if any of the individual grants fell within the definition of a subsidy, and a particular organisation has exceeded its own £315k limit, the Council can still offer the public funding to that particular organisation so long as the subsidy complies with the seven subsidy control principles.   Salford CVS should ask applicants for grant funding to confirm how much public funding they have received within the last 3 years to support any subsidy control assessment undertaken by the Council. Financial Advice obtained: The financial implications reflect £941,000 awarded to the Council in 2025/26 which will require City Mayor approval to increase the revenue budget in this financial year.  As the grant is non-recurrent, appointments to new posts and any other commitments should only be made on fixed term basis to avoid a long-term cost for the Council once the funding ends. Procurement Advice obtained: It is imperative that the Council complies with the terms of the grant outlined in the offer letter received from GMCA to reduce the risk of potential clawback of monies. Grants are currently not captured within the Council’s Contract Standing Orders (CSO’s). Contracts for goods, services and works are subject to public procurement legislation however, grants are not contracts and therefore are not subject to the same procurement rules or governance arrangements. As highlighted in the legal comments, when providing financial assistance to a third party, the Council should consider whether the award constitutes a subsidy that would give a particular provider an economic advantage which would have the effect of distorting competition with other providers operating in the same marketplace. The Subsidy Control regime is permissive in comparison to the previous State Aid regime, in that a subsidy can still be compliantly awarded if it complies with the seven ‘subsidy control principles’ (or alternatively falls within the recipient’s Minimum Financial Assistance threshold of £315,000 over the previous 3 financial years). It is important to ensure that the Council has an appropriate audit trail to demonstrate that it has considered the ‘is it a subsidy’ test and, where applicable, the application of the subsidy control principles in case an award was challenged. Salford CVS to ask applicants for grant funding to confirm how much public funding they have received within the last 3 years to support any subsidy control assessment undertaken by the Council. HR Advice obtained: N/A Climate Change Advice obtained: N/A   The following documents have been used to assist the decision process:   -       GM Live Well Implementation Fund – GMCA Decision report (28 March 2025) -       GMCA grant agreement -       Cabinet Briefing report   Contact Officer:  Gillian McLauchlan                               Telephone number: 0161 793 3585   The appropriate scrutiny panels to call-in the decision is the; -       Community & Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Panel -       Health and Adults Scrutiny Panel                           Signed:        Paul Dennett                        Dated:     14.10.25                               .                         City Mayor   For Democratic Services use only   This decision was published on 14.10.25                                             This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 21.10.25                                                   unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.