TETNEY PARISH COUNCIL

Grants at a glance

1. Purpose

1.1    Tetney Parish Council (“the Council”) makes grants to local groups and individuals whose work benefits the village and its residents.

1.2    This policy explains what the Council will and will not fund, how to apply, and how decisions are made, so that applicants know what to expect and the public can see that funds are distributed fairly.

1.3    The Council aims to make applying simple. Applicants are welcome to ask the Clerk for help with the form.

2. Legal basis

2.1    The Council may only spend public money where it has a legal power to do so. Grants will normally be made under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972, which allows spending on anything that directly benefits the area or its residents where no other power applies. The Council may instead rely on a more specific power where one exists (for example, powers relating to recreational facilities or community buildings).

2.2    Section 137 spending is capped each year at a set amount per elector (£11.60 for 2026/27), and must be recorded separately. The Clerk, as Responsible Financial Officer, will confirm the power relied on for each grant and record it in the minutes.

2.3    Each year the Council will set a grants budget as part of its budget and precept setting. Once the budget is used, no further grants will be made in that financial year except by Council resolution.

3. Who can apply

3.1    The following may apply:

• Voluntary and community groups, clubs, societies and charities that operate in, or for the benefit of, Tetney;
• Village organisations such as the school PTA, church groups, village hall committees and sports clubs;
• Individuals or informal groups organising a project or event that will benefit the wider village community.

3.2    Applicants must have a way to show how the money will be handled. Groups should have a bank account in the group’s name and at least two unrelated signatories. Where an individual or informal group has no account, the Council may pay suppliers directly or pay the grant to a suitable host organisation.

3.3    The Council will not normally fund:

• Grants for the personal benefit of an individual;
• Political parties or campaigns, or activities that promote a particular political view;
• Activities that promote religious belief, though events and facilities open to the whole community may be supported;
• Organisations that exist to make a profit for owners or shareholders;
• Costs already incurred before the grant is approved (retrospective funding), unless the Council agrees otherwise in exceptional circumstances;
• Statutory services that other bodies are responsible for, or general running costs with no clear community benefit;
• Repaying loans or debts.

4. What we look for

4.1    Applications will be considered against the following criteria. A project does not need to meet all of them.

• Village benefit: it clearly benefits Tetney residents, or a group within the village, and enhances village life.
• Reach and inclusion: it is open to all who might want to take part, with no unreasonable barriers.
• Need: the group cannot reasonably fund it entirely by itself.
• Value for money: costs are reasonable and supported by a quote or estimate.
• Own effort: the group is contributing through fundraising, volunteering, or other funding.
• Lasting benefit: the project is well planned and will benefit the village beyond a single occasion where possible.

4.2    The Council will not usually fund the whole cost of a project. Applicants should show what other funding they are seeking or have secured.

5. Grant levels

5.1    The amounts below are guidelines and can be changed by Council resolution.

5.2    Normally, a group may receive one grant per financial year. Repeat funding is possible but is not guaranteed, and the Council will consider the needs of other applicants.

6. How to apply

6.1    Applications can be made at any time using the form which is available from the Clerk by emailing clerk@tetneyparishcouncil.gov.uk . Applications may be submitted by email, post or by hand, and the Clerk will provide help to anyone who finds the form difficult to complete.

6.2    The Clerk will acknowledge every application within 5 working days and will check that it is complete. Applications received at least 10 days before a Council meeting will be placed on that meeting’s agenda. Later applications will go to the following meeting.

6.3    In urgent cases, where a decision cannot wait for the next meeting, the Chair and Clerk may refer the matter to the Council for consideration under its urgent business arrangements. Grants will only be paid following a formal Council decision.

7. How decisions are made

7.1    All grant decisions are made by the full Council at a meeting open to the public (except for urgent cases, see 6.3). Applicant details will be included on the agenda. Personal contact details will not be published.

7.2    The Clerk will present each application with a short summary against the criteria in section 4 and confirm the legal power and remaining budget.

7.3    Any councillor who is a member, officer, trustee or committee member of an applicant organisation, or who has any other interest, must declare that interest in line with the Council’s Code of Conduct and must not vote on that application. Where the interest is a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, they must leave the room and not take part in the discussion.

7.4    The Council may approve a grant in full, approve a reduced amount, approve with conditions, defer for more information, or decline. The decision and the main reasons for it will be recorded in the minutes.

7.5    The Clerk will notify each applicant in writing within 10 working days of the meeting. If an application is declined, the letter will say why. Unsuccessful applicants may re-apply with more information, or for a different project.

8. Conditions and payment

8.1    Grants must only be used for the purpose stated in the application. If plans change, the applicant must contact the Clerk before spending the money.

8.2    Payment will normally be made by bank transfer to the group’s account, or directly to a supplier, once the grant has been approved. Payment will not be made in cash.

8.3    Any money not spent as agreed, or that is not spent within 12 months, must be returned to the Council.

8.4    Grant recipients are asked to acknowledge the Council’s support where practical, for example on posters, social media or their website.

8.5    Within 3 months of completing the project, or in any case within 12 months recipients of standard grants should send the Clerk a brief report using the short feedback form. This should cover what happened, how many people benefited, and how the money was spent. A photograph is welcome. Failure to report back may affect future applications.

9. Transparency and accountability

9.1    The Council will publish this policy on its website and make the application form available in paper form or via email on request.

9.2    Grant decisions are recorded in the minutes, which are public. Payments will be included in the Council’s published expenditure information in line with the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities.

9.3    Each year the Clerk will publish a summary of grants awarded: who received a grant, the amount, and what it was for. The Council will also review how well the grants budget was used and whether the policy is working, as part of its annual review.

9.4    Personal information on application forms will be used only to process the application and will be handled in line with the Council’s privacy notice and data protection obligations.

10. Concerns and review

10.1  An applicant who is unhappy with how an application was handled may write to the Clerk. Where the applicant still has concerns, the Council may consider a further request in the light of any new information provided. The Council’s complaints procedure applies as normal.

10.2  The Council will review this policy annually, and may amend it at any time by resolution.

Please contact the Clerk for the application and feedback forms at clerk@tetneyparishcouncil.gov.uk