To consider the above report seeking approval for the direction of travel and a commitment to the development of a Community Development Trust.

Members considered the submitted report which set out details of a new sustainable approach for supporting the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Torbay and the creation of a Community Development Trust.  It was noted that working with the community and voluntary sector enabled the exploration of creative and innovative ways to deliver services which provide social value to communities.

It was proposed by Councillor Excell and seconded by Councillor Darling:

(i)      that the Council renews its support to the community and voluntary sector and endorses the new direction of travel and the creation of a new Community Development Trust (“CDT”) in Torbay subject to the Executive Head Community Safety being satisfied with the business case once fully developed; 

(ii)     that the Council ring fences funding to support the new direction of travel by making £100,000 per year available for a maximum of three years to support the development of the CDT business plan via a service level agreement (or similar) (“SLA”) and delegates to the Executive Head Community Safety in consultation with Executive Lead Community Safety and Communities the amount of funding to be made available to support the development of the CDT business plan and the content of the SLA;

(iii)    that the Council provides such support in kind as it is able whilst the CDT is developing, with the expectation that the Council will contract with the CDT to deliver its existing community capacity building activities from April 2014 subject to the Executive Head Community Safety being satisfied that the CDT can deliver the same;

(iv)    that the Council continues to work with the Voluntary and Community Sector (“VCS”) to review each parties assets and potential future opportunities for collaboration around these assets;  and

(v)     that the Council agrees in principle to be party to ongoing discussions about supporting a collaborative approach for securing long term investment into the CDT.  These discussions may include the opportunity for the Council to become an investor, but that prior to any agreement being reached a further report comes back to Council for agreement on the approach.

On being put to the vote the motion was declared carried (unanimous).

(Note:  During consideration of minute 23, Councillor Stringer declared a personal interest as his wife was a street pastor and his daughter a youth worker.)