Agenda and minutes

            An apology for inability to attend was reported from Councillor Ekin.

In pursuance of the Committee’s decision of 14^th January, to receive a deputation from the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre regarding its request for funding (report herewith)

            The Committee was reminded that the Council, at its meeting on 5th January, had referred back to the Committee its minute of 10th December in relation to a request for funding which had been received from the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre.  The Committee was reminded further that, on 14th January, it had deferred consideration of the matter to enable a special meeting to be held to which representatives of the organisation would be invited.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      At its November meeting, Committee considered a request from the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre (RCSAC) to extend BCC financial support agreed in 2006 in response to their ‘extenuating circumstances’.  The support, which was time limited, was agreed as £14,600 per annum in each of the financial years 2006/07 and 2007/08.

      Committee agreed to defer consideration of the matter to enable legal and other advice to be obtained with a view to the matter being considered further at a special meeting of the Committee.

The information requested was considered by committee at its December meeting and took the form of:

-     Details of officer support provided to allow the RCSAC both time and technical assistance to address the concerns raised by the Department of Health in order that they might re apply for departmental funding.  (See Appendix 1)

-     Legal advice in relation to the ability of Council to provide financial or other assistance to the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre under the following two headings:

1.   Can the Council provide financial support to an organisation in a situation where its latest audited accounts demonstrate that its current liabilities significantly exceed its total assets?

2.   Can the Council alternatively offer technical support to the group for the purpose of enabling its books to be audited for the last financial year in order that Council and other potential funders will then be able to make a proper assessment of its actual financial position?

      The Director of Legal Services joined the meeting for the item and a summary of his advice is attached as Appendix 2.

Key Issues

      In further consideration of the request for additional funding from the RCSAC Committee considered the contributing issues:

-     RCSAC do not meet the eligibility criteria for Community Service large grant provision;

-     the BCC support package agreed reflected a time-limited response to specific circumstances and included exit funding and officer support in the form of technical support to address concerns raised by their core funder, the Department of Health;

-     the lack of available up to date audited accounts and information indicating that current liabilities exceed total assets.

      Committee indicated a willingness to assist the organisation to address its financial difficulties and agreed to offer the following support:

1.   to provide assistance, either by way of the appointment of an external auditor or by the provision of in-house expertise up to a value of £6,000, to the Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre to enable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.