Belstone Parish Council

GRANT GIVING POLICY

Introduction

Belstone Parish Council receives requests from third parties for donations. The power for the Parish Council to donate is contained in the Local Government Act 1972, s 137, which allows a local authority to spend a limited amount on activities for which it has no specific power, but which the authority considers ‘will bring direct benefit to the area, or any part of it or all of some of its inhabitants’. The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 added the requirement that the benefit obtained should be commensurate with the expenditure incurred.

The Council can receive donation requests which exceed the sum of money the Council earmarks for this purpose when setting a prudent budget for the year. It is necessary, therefore to implement policy guidelines to follow when deciding upon making a grant.

Policy Statement

It is the policy of the Parish Council that where charitable organisations, supported by local people, can provide facilities and services for the community, they are supported financially in so doing. The Council will earmark a sum within each annual budget to be used at the sole discretion of the Council in furtherance of this policy.

Conditions of donations

All requests must benefit Belstone Parishioners or the fabric of the Parish.  Applications must state the amount required and the purpose to which it will be put

Requests should be for the following financial year and are for single donations. The Parish does not commit to continuing support and no donation or series of donations is to be taken as an indicator of future funding.

The decision of the Council is final.

Procedure

All donation requests will be considered as and when received on a first come basis in any financial year.  At that time the Council will first consider the financial position of the Parish and the sum then available for donations.  Of those donation requests considered favourably, the Council will decide the level of support it is able to make in each case and make payment accordingly.

Date of Policy: 7th September 2021

Supersedes: N/A

Date of next review: September 2026