Review of funding to Coalfields Regeneration Trust: FOI release

Information requested

Clarification on the review of funding to Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) for 2023/24.

Response

In 2023/24 our funding to CRT was delivered within the context of the most challenging budget settlement since devolution. Difficult decisions were required to ensure we did what is best for communities with the limited resources we have. This impacted budgets across The Scottish Government including the Regeneration resource budget through which CRT is funded, which was subject to a significant reduction from 2022/23. These budget challenges continue and therefore we cannot guarantee that any organisation will receive the same level of funding that has been provided in previous years or in this financial year. We have relayed this to CRT, stressing that it is vital it examines all potential funding sources to reduce the reliance on core Scottish Government grant.

Officials have been working closely with CRT since the end of 2022, advising on the Scottish Government’s priorities to inform the development of their future proposed programme of work. The substantial funding provided to CRT for 2023/24, of nearly £650k, was to enable the organisation to sustain its core operations, deliver key programmes and activities, and provide advisory support to all 89 coalfields communities in Scotland.

You ask which Minister and officials were involved in the review of CRT's funding for 2023/24. Joe FitzPatrick MSP, then Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning had portfolio responsibility for the Regeneration budgets through which CRT was funded, supported by officials from the Regeneration, Architecture & Place Unit. Mr FitzPatrick and officials met with CRT in September 2023 to discuss its concerns about funding, making clear the Scottish Government's challenging financial position and the need for the Trust to prioritise its work towards regeneration outcomes.

The process for the review and approval of CRT's budget in 2023/24 was undertaken in accordance with the Scottish Government's grant management principles. Regeneration budgets were subject to the Scottish Government's spend control process for 2023/24 which sought final approval to proceed with all proposed spend in the Government's challenging financial position. As part of this process, Regeneration officials completed an accountable officer (AO) template to provide a full and detailed justification for CRT's funding including expected outcomes and longer-term financial implications.

This was reviewed and authorised by Finance Business Partners with approval from Chief Planner and Director for Local Government & Housing and final approval from the Director General Communities. The template and corresponding e-mails are included in this response.

Meetings between CRT and SG officials were held on the dates below. A note of the Ministerial meeting in September is attached to this response. There is no official record of budget and programme discussions between CRT staff and SG officials, however meetings were followed up in writing by officials and this is also included in this response.

Meeting Date	Purpose
16 January 2023	Meeting between CRT staff and SG Regeneration officials following submission of proposal for 2023/24.
5 June 2023	Meeting between CRT staff and SG Regeneration officials on CRT's 2023/24 programme.
24 August 2023	Meeting between CRT staff and SG Regeneration officials on CRT's 2023/24 programme.
14 Sept 2023	Meeting between Joe FItzPatrick MSP, then Minister for Local Government Empowerment & Planning, CRT staff and Regeneration officials.

You requested details of documentation produced during, and as a result of, the review of funding to CRT in 2023/24, Minutes of meetings which discussed CRT's funding, and e-mail records of discussions and decisions. I have aimed to provide as much documentation as possible in accordance with FOI guidance and this is attached to this response. Please note that some information is not held (for example records of officials' day to day discussions on CRT's programme) or has been redacted where this is subject to exemption under the Freedom of Information Scotland Act (FOISA) 2002. This includes names and designations of officials below Senior Civil Service level as well as information where disclosure inhibits the provision of advice or free and frank exchange of views. The relevant exemptions are:

• Section 17 Information not held;
• Section 30(b)(i) Substantial inhibition to free and frank provision of advice;
• Section 30(b)(ii) Substantial inhibition to free and frank exchange of views;
• Section 38(i)(b) Personal data relating to Third Party.

Please note that if you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by writing to our Chief Executive. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 40 working days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review in accordance with FOISA as soon as possible, and not later than 20 working days from the day following the date we receive your review request. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner. More detailed information on your appeal rights is available on the Commissioner's website at itspublicknowledge.info

Supporting our former coalfield communities remains an important priority for The Scottish Government and we look forward to continuing to work with CRT, with its focus to regenerate these communities, to support our policy aims for place-based community led regeneration. We are providing grant funding of £650,000 to CRT in 2024/25 to support activities which will deliver the greatest impact for these communities.

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FOI 202400424487 - Information released - Annex

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175 page PDF

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