The Community Council Funding Review Working Group met to discuss options for the modelling of support grants for community councils, as well as the terms and conditions for awarding these grants. The group also reviewed the reimbursement of hall hire costs and considered the potential re-establishment of a Borders-wide community council network.

Support Grant Modelling Options

The working group was scheduled to consider various options for modelling community council support grants. These included proposals based on population changes, alternative population banding, and a base rate option with additional funding per capita. One model suggested a base rate of £585 with a 23p per head rate, which would ensure no community council lost funding, though larger ones would see significant increases. Another option proposed a 10% increase for all community councils, with no single council receiving more than £200 extra. The group was to consider further modelling using a base rate funding approach.

Support Grant Terms and Conditions

The meeting was set to discuss the terms and conditions for awarding support grants to third-party organisations and individuals. This included reviewing the existing requirements for community councils to submit annual accounts, a minute confirming adherence to the Code of Conduct for Community Councillors, and an evaluation form detailing how the grant was used. The group was to consider recommendations on whether to change these application requirements, whether the grant should remain for operational costs with underspends available for community benefit, and whether community councils should be permitted to grant funds to other groups and individuals.

Hall Hire Reimbursement

The working group was scheduled to review hall hire reimbursements. Data presented indicated that 58 different community councils had applied for hall hire reimbursement over the past four years, with the total expenditure rising from £2,251.00 in 2022/23 to £7,213.35 in 2024/25. The average claim per community council also increased. The report suggested that a 10% increase in the available budget for hall hire reimbursements would be required to cover potential applications, bringing the total to £7,934.35.

Funding for a Borders-wide Community Council Network

The meeting was to consider the potential re-establishment of a Borders-wide community council network. The Scottish Borders Community Councils' Network (SBCCN) had previously received an annual grant of £1,250 but fell into abeyance in 2022/23. The working group had discussed various models for a new network, including locality-based, school cluster, and old district council area models, ultimately recommending the establishment of a new Borders-wide network. This network's proposed role would be to arrange seminars, workshops, conferences, and networking opportunities, a role supported by 81% of community councils consulted. The group was to consider potential funding options for this new network, including self-funding, an annual grant of £1,250, or an increased grant of £1,375.

Action Tracker

The working group was to consider an update on actions from previous meetings. This included the election of a Vice Chair, ongoing discussions regarding community councillors being part of a quorum, and the preparation of example funding models based on a standard core grant plus an allowance per capita. The group was also to carry forward discussions on grant funding to third parties.