I’m writing to you under the 2000 Freedom of Information Act to request information about your grant-making to the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector.

1. Listing separately for each year, in the years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 what was the
a) Total annual financial value of grants given to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector by your authority?
2021/22: 168122
2022/23: 125800
2023/24: 128618
b) Total number of grants given to the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector by your authority?
2021/22: 20
2022/23: 23
2023/24: 33

2. Listing separately for each year, in the years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 of the above grants (question 1) what total number were awarded through
a) Competitive/open application processes?
2021/22:
2022/23:
2023/24:
b) Grants in aid?
2021/22: 11
2022/23: 3
2023/24: 6
c) Unknown?
2021/22: 9
2022/23: 20
2023/24: 27

3. Listing separately for each year, in the years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 what was/were the:
a) Total number of formal challenges you received around your grant processes and decisions on the basis of alleged non-compliance with: State Aid, Subsidy Control, or Public Procurement regulations?
b) And of these what number of these challenged resulted in legal proceedings?
0