Issue - meetings

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.1. To utilise government asylum dispersal and refugee resettlement grant funding to deliver a £500,000 Sanctuary Grant Programme for local projects that support refugees, migrants and residents seeking asylum in the borough.

1.2. To endorse the establishment of a council-led project team to ensure due diligence for the delivery of this major grants programme and adherence to government resettlement and asylum dispersal funding requirements.

1.3. To approve an innovative participatory grant making approach, with ‘experts by experience’ shaping the delivery of the Sanctuary Grant Programme through a well-supported and informed Sanctuary Grants Community Panel.

DECISIONS:

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reasons for the decision – as detailed in the report

Other options considered – as detailed in the report

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none

In the absence of the Executive Member for Equalities, Communities and Inclusion, the report was introduced by Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz.

RESOLVED:

(a) To utilise government asylum dispersal and refugee resettlement grant funding to deliver a £500,000 Sanctuary Grant Programme for local projects who supported refugees, migrants and residents seeking asylum in the Borough.

(b) To endorse the establishment of a Council-led project team to ensure due diligence for the delivery of this major grants programme and adherence to government resettlement and asylum dispersal funding requirements.

(c) To approve an innovative participatory grant making approach, with ‘experts by experience’ shaping the delivery of the Sanctuary Grant Programme through a well-supported and informed Sanctuary Grants Community Panel.

Reasons for the decision – The Sanctuary Grant Programme would be used to establish a £500,000 fund for local projects which supported refugees, migrants and residents seeking asylum in the Borough. A Council-led project team would ensure due diligence was applied in assessing, awarding and monitoring grants and to replicate the success of other Voluntary and Community Sector programmes already operated by the Council.  The purpose of the Sanctuary Grant Programme was to find new and innovative ways to help organisations in Islington to support refugee and migrants and to encourage connectivity between new and existing communities.

Other options considered – Officers considered whether to utilise a grant-funding, rather than commissioned-based approach. It was considered that grant-funding would attract new ideas from different organisations on how they might help achieve connected and thriving communities which promoted integration and social cohesion. All options were as detailed in the report.

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none