The Grants Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee of Wandsworth Council met on Thursday 26 September 2024 to discuss and make recommendations on applications for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Cost of Living Grant Fund, Round 1, and the Wandsworth Grant Fund, Round 27. A total of £66,941 was recommended for award from the Cost of Living Grant Fund to seven organisations, and £83,356 was recommended for award from the Wandsworth Grant Fund to ten organisations.

VCS Cost of Living Grant Fund, Round 1

The committee considered applications for Round 1 of the VCS Cost of Living Grant Fund, which aims to support organisations providing community spaces and food provision to those affected by the rising cost of living. A total of £350,000 was available across two rounds, with £61,375 recommended for award in this round to six organisations.

Age UK Wandsworth received a recommended award of £6,210 for their project providing weekly social activities and hot meals for older residents. Concerns were raised about clarifying the total number of residents who would benefit, and officers agreed to follow this up with the organisation.

Katherine Low Settlement was recommended for the full amount requested of £14,467. This funding will enable them to expand their existing lunch club service for frail and isolated elderly residents from two to three times a week. Members noted that Katherine Low Settlement appears frequently in grant applications and queried whether a central record of grants awarded to organisations was kept. Officers confirmed that while records are kept for grants managed by their team, they do not always have a complete picture of funding received across the entire council. Wider work is underway to map grants across the council.

Living Truth CIC received a recommended award of £6,084 to continue their Wellbeing and Food Club, Afterschool Food and Sports Club, and Advice Drop-in sessions.

PCC of St Michael's with St Stephen's Church was recommended for the full amount requested of £14,414 to establish a new community hub on the Ackroydon Estate. This hub will provide a warm space, food, and various activities, including a community lunch, homework club, and advice sessions. The award is subject to planning permission being granted for the change of use.

Rackets Cubed received a recommended award of £15,000 to continue their Social Supermarket, Community Cuppa, and Solidarity Suppers. These services provide low-cost food, advice, and social opportunities to residents in Roehampton.

Wandsworth Carer's Centre was recommended for the full amount requested of £5,200 to continue their weekly supper club for carers and those they care for. This provides a warm space, a meal, and socialisation opportunities, along with information sessions on available support services.

Several applications were not recommended for funding, including Balham Salvation Army, BlindAid, Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services (CDARS), Doddington and Rollo Community Roof Garden, Estate Art CIC, MACWO (Mother and Child Welfare Organisation), and Sport4Health CIC. Reasons for non-recommendation included a lack of clear project descriptions, insufficient evidence of need directly linked to the cost of living, and the projects not meeting the core criteria of the fund.

SW15 Women's Network received a recommended award of £5,566, an amendment to the officers' initial recommendation not to support the application. Members reconsidered, supporting the cause and noting the organisation's valuable work.

Wandsworth Grant Fund, Round 27

The committee also considered applications for Round 27 of the Wandsworth Grant Fund, which supports a range of projects across six thematic areas: Arts and Culture; Children and Young People; Environment and Attractive Neighbourhoods; Citizenship and Civic Engagement; Health and Wellbeing; and Raising Aspiration and Potential. A total of £76,856 was recommended for award to eight organisations.

Baseless Fabric Theatre Ltd received a recommended award of £9,820 for their project The Elixir of Love Street Opera and Associated Activities. This project will deliver free street opera performances in Roehampton, Putney, and Wandsworth Town, alongside engagement sessions with local youth clubs, schools, and elderly groups. The award is conditional on working with the Arts and Culture Service to ensure venues are in areas that will most benefit and that the project is part of the London Borough of Culture programme.

Spectacle Media CIC was recommended for the full amount requested of £10,000 for their project Participatory Video Archives: Places near Battersea. This initiative will open up Spectacle Media's video archive of local history to residents through workshops, enabling them to explore and create collective visual representations of their communities. The award is conditional on revising their safeguarding policy and working with the Arts and Culture Service to integrate the project into the London Borough of Culture programme.

SEN Unity CIC received a recommended award of £10,000 for their project 4care2carers. This project will provide free sports and recreational sessions for unpaid carers of children with SEND, with simultaneous activities for their children and siblings. The award is subject to the applicant providing a session timetable for officers to review prior to fund release and including measures of school attendance to understand the project's impact.

Theatre 503 received a reduced recommended award of £8,140 for their production Santa and Sven. This festive theatre production will offer free live and livestreamed performances to primary schools in Wandsworth. The reduction in the award is due to contingency costs not being covered by the fund and evaluation costs being scaled back.

Rosslyn Park Football Club Limited received a recommended award of £9,930 for their Fast Forward project. This programme will engage 60 Year 6 children identified as at-risk, providing multisport sessions and workshops on topics such as mental health and community links. The award is conditional on the applicant updating their safeguarding policy.

Several applications were not recommended for funding. BACTA (Balham & Tooting Community Association) was not recommended for their Balham and Tooting Community Awards 2025 as it was considered an ongoing annual event, a low priority for the fund. Carey Gardens Co-operative was not recommended due to a lack of clear description of participants and outcomes. Bertie Collective was not recommended due to the high cost per person and the project being better suited to the Wandsworth Arts Fringe. Smallwood Primary School PTA was not recommended as the project was deemed limited in scope and not clearly demonstrating need. Sport4Health CIC was not recommended as the project was ongoing and not reaching new cohorts. St. Mary's Church Putney was not recommended due to outstanding permissions and unclear need and benefits. The Good Gym was not recommended as existing projects and staffing costs forming part of ongoing work are a low priority.

The committee noted that the Wandsworth Grant Fund has an indicative budget of £96,500 per round, and the total recommended awards for Round 27 were £83,356. Additional funding of approximately £25,000 from the Wandsworth Community Fund will be added to the next round. The committee also noted the extraction of funds for the London Borough of Culture 2025 initiative.