Applications will be moderated on receipt by Staffordshire County Council to ensure applications are compliant with the requirement of the Scheme. Applications will also be assessed using the Grants Criteria (outlined below) before being considered by a multi-agency Decision Making Panel.
The Decision-Making Panel will be comprised of representatives from across the statutory (including our schools), community and voluntary sector. Decisions made by the Decision-Making Panel will be final, with the Panel looking for a geographical spread of applications which is targeted at the most in need. All decisions will be based on how well the applications meet the criteria.
We will prioritise applications which are received from organisations seeking to facilitate HAF Programmes within districts and County Council wards demonstrating the highest level of needs. This will enable us to ensure that funding for provision both meets the needs of our eligible children (and their families in some instances) and is accessible within their district and/or council ward. The Decision Panel will therefore consider the proposed location of the proposed provision and how much funding has already been allocated within the immediate area.
Applications that deliver within the Staffordshire County Council Local Authority boundary will be considered first. If there is funding still available, we may then consider applications for venues close to the Staffordshire County Council’s Local Authority borders e.g., Stoke-on-Trent.
The outcome of the Decision-Making Panel is final, and appeals will not be accepted by Staffordshire County Council.