FAQ

Provides recognition and reward to VCS organisations who take part in community engagement

Answer:: We have drafted a new community engagement recognition policy, which will be published soon. It will recognise local residents and VCS organisations for their input into partnership working and local coproduction processes.

Review the application process for delivering events in council green spaces to make it more accessible

Answer:: We have reviewed our park hire application process and has introduced a number of steps to increase the accessibility of the process for community applicants. This includes organising community training for people who want to organise events in its parks and open spaces.

Run a funders event to connect with funders with local VCS organisations

Answer:: We held an Access to Funding event on 6 October 2025 to link local VCS organisations to funders. This will be an annual event.

Support the Equalities Hubs and Networks to work more effectively together to represent the voice of marginalized communities

Answer:

The Equalities Hubs and Networks have been strengthened to enable residents with protected characteristics:

to influence council decisions and
identify the needs of VCS organisations supporting groups with protected characteristics.

The council should promote the Community Benefit Rate Reduction (CBRR) scheme and explore if it can be expanded to smaller organisations

Answer:

We will continue to offer the CBRR scheme, providing reduced lease costs for council-owned community buildings. We will work with the VCS to ensure that the scheme is:

accessible
transparent
supports a diverse range of community organisations.

We will review its community buildings policy through engagement with the sector.

Work together with the VCS to develop a plan for increasing volunteering in the borough

Answer:: We have begun working with our partners to develop a volunteering plan to promote volunteering in the borough, with the VCS and through partner organisations.

Build relationships between the VCS and corporate sector to bring in funding and other useful resources

Answer:: We will work together with VCS and businesses to find and develop new funding opportunities to support the sector across the borough.

Designing future grants programme with the VCS to ensure they meet the needs of the community and VCS organisations can apply for them

Answer:: Together we will design a replacement programme for the Mayor’s Community Grants Programme and Small Grants Programme in partnership with the VCS.

Need to support organisations to achieve their aims and develop their staff and volunteers' knowledge and skills by delivering training, development and resources

Answer:

We have established a Capacity Building Plan with the VCS, with a focus on:

supporting smaller organisations
those led by women
and/or Black, Asian & Multi-ethnic communities
wider partners to support the sector.

Which will be reviewed annually.

Provide opportunities for building the knowledge and skills of VCS and council officers by providing training and development opportunities

Answer:

We will deliver/commission training sessions to address priority areas for the VCS identified through:

engagement
annual needs assessment

FAQ

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