Area Based Grant - The Herefordshire Partnership

Area Based Grant

Area Based Grants are a collection of grants which previously were allocated to organisations in local areas to fund particular pieces of work. This revenue funding is now going direct to local authorities who are free to use this non-ringfenced funding as they see fit to support the delivery of local, regional and national priorities in their areas. It is not new money, but supports lcoal services including Carer support and services to young people.

Area Based Grant for Herefordshire
The Area Based Grant (previously known as the Local Area Agreement Single Pot) has grown and the number of funding streams included within it has increased significantly, as has the funding from £2.4 million in the Single Pot for Herefordshire in 2007/08 to £9.4 million in the Area Based Grant for 2009/10.

Herefordshire Community Strategy and the Local Area Agreement
The Area Based Grant can support the delivery of the Local Area Agreement and wider service provision in Herefordshire, towards the Community Strategy. The Area Based Grant has, however, been de-coupled from the Local Area Agreement, and does not have to be targeted solely towards it's Priorities and Performance Indicators.

Local management of the Area Based Grant
For 2008/09 the Herefordshire Partnership strategically commissioned services through Partnerships/Boards via Area Based Grant funding. These Partnerships/Boards are:
Childrens Trust
Adult Commissioning Board
Community Safety and Drugs Partnership
Herefordshire Equalities Partnership
Rural Access Partnership

This commissioning process aimed to reinforce links between Partnership's strategies, the Herefordshire Community Strategy and the new Local Area Agreement. The process aimed to avoid duplication and identify gaps and opportunities for efficiencies in the future. The Partnerships/Boards considered contributions towards the Guiding Principles, engagement with the voluntary and community sector and improved consultation on services with local people.

In the meantime a Commissioning Framework has been developed, which forms the basis of how the funding will be prioritised and allocated. A copy of the Commissioning Framework is available here. This Framework is being tested during 2009/10 commissioning and as a working tool, will be amended and improved following reviews.

For 2009/10 it has been agreed to guarantee 95% of the grants to the areas where they have previously been used. Some of the groups commission through have altered, linked to changes in the Herefordshire Partnership structure. The groups, now described as Policy and Delivery groups are:

The Childrens Trust
The new Health and Well-being Partnership
The Community Safety and Drugs Partnership
The new Stronger Communities Group
The Environment Partnership

The 5% of Area Based Grant remaining became a 'flexible pot' into which Policy and Delivery groups applied, based on activity to achieve the Local Area Agreement targets.

The commissioning process for allocation of funding for 2010/11 commenced autumn 2009. It was agreed through Herefordshire Partnership that rather than an open bidding round, commissioning priorities be set and groups work together to improve these areas. The five Commissioning priorities, in no particular order, for 2010/11 are:

• A collaborative approach top employmnent
• Keeping our communities safe
• Improving accessibility
• Addressing health inequalities and well-being
• Recovery of the local economy

The Policy and Delivery groups are currently developing their joint working ideas.

For more information on Herefordshire's Area Based Grant contact Philippa Lydford on 01432 261788 or plydford@herefordshire.gov.uk

Further information and a copy of the Area Based Grant general guidance 2008, visit Communities and Local Government