Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) on the review of the grant awarded by the Council to the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre for the period October 2016 to September 2018 and the proposal to award of a further grant, at existing grant levels, until 31^st March 2021, subject to break clauses and annual review as part of budget setting.

Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre (CRMC) offered advice and support to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. The Centre had received funding from Coventry City Council since 2003. In April 2016, Cabinet Member (Community Development, Co-operative and Social Enterprise) approved the award of a two year grant of £387,752 per annum for the period October 2016 - September 2018 (her minute 28/16 referred). It was also agreed that a service review would be undertaken to ensure alignment of refugee support in the city and that a progress report would be provided 12 months after the grant was awarded. The report reflected the full review and findings of the grant for the Centre that had now been completed.

The report proposed continued funding at existing levels alongside targeted changes to some elements of service delivery with some funding identified being utilised to improve the infrastructure and management of the Centre. The proposal was supported by the recent Migrant Needs Assessment findings that included voluntary sector views on the services provided by the Centre and the value of these services for this client group. The grant award would include an annual break clauses in the Grant Aid Agreement to allow for grant levels to be adjusted in accordance with Council budget setting.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves the award of a grant, which will be subject to break clauses and annual review as part of budget setting, to the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre at the existing grant levels until 31^st March 2021.