Glasgow's communities given more say over funding decisions

Glasgow City Council has confirmed that funding decisions for vital local community projects supported by the council's Integrated Grant Fund will be devolved to local areas. The council's Integrated Grant Fund has a budget of just over £28 million supporting some 450 diverse projects which support individuals and communities across the city.

The council's Executive Committee agreed on Thursday, 24 November, to devolve decision making powers and funding to Sector Community Planning Partnerships in the North-East, North-West and South of the city.

From April 2017, £4.2 million of funding that currently supports 102 projects will be devolved to local community structures increasing the budget to just over £14 million.  The decision to further devolve funding means that from next year local community structures will influence more than half of the overall £28 million budget for local projects.

It is envisaged that as these projects already deliver their services in local areas that it will enable closer alignment between service provision and local strategies as well as empower local communities to have a bigger say in what, how and where services are delivered.

Councillor Soryia Siddique, the council's Executive Member for Citizens and Communities, said: "We are absolutely committed to delivering more power within our local communities and by decentralising decision making we will be better placed to meet local demands. Our communities know better than anyone the challenges they face - and it is only right that they should have a say on how funds are spent. It will also ensure that the projects that we fund are fully linked into local strategies and objectives and are best placed to meet the needs of the people and communities they serve.

"While there are some projects which deliver on a city-wide basis and will continue to be centrally funded, we will look at how we can devolve even more grant funding to local areas over the next year."

Cllr Siddique added: "These funds support everything from lunch clubs for older citizens, to respite care support and after school clubs in communities across Glasgow. With budgets under unprecedented pressure, it is absolutely right that local communities can prioritise their needs and influence how funds are spent and this process will strengthen funding decisions. This is community empowerment in action and I'm delighted that the council is delivering on its promise to give our people a stronger voice in decision making."