In order to find out more about the Cabinet Action Fund reporter Adam Green interviewed cllr Munsif Dad for North West Bylines. Hyndburn Council Leader Cllr Munsif Dad tells us the Cabinet Action Fund remains a fair and transparent support mechanism for community groups across the borough. However, key figures relating to the number of groups funded, and the distribution of investment across wards, are still being verified and are expected to be clarified shortly following discrepancies in previously publicised totals.
Cllr Dad says the Cabinet Action Fund operates on fairness, officer oversight, and conflict-of-interest declarations. He acknowledged, however, that the exact number of groups funded – including grassroots sports clubs – remains unconfirmed pending further checks by council officers.
A borough-wide fund to help community groups
The council leader emphasised borough-wide access, simple criteria, and community benefit. However, detailed evaluation data and geographic breakdowns of awards have not yet been published.
Speaking during an interview, Cllr Dad outlined how the Cabinet Action Fund operates, its decision-making processes, and the council’s approach to ensuring fair distribution across Hyndburn. His comments offer insight into how the borough’s leadership views governance, scrutiny, and community impact within the small-grants programme, even as some data remains to be confirmed.
Origins and scale of the Cabinet Action Fund
According to Cllr Dad, the Cabinet Action Fund has developed into a regular source of community support, administered by cabinet members with officer oversight. He said the fund supported around 15 organisations in the previous financial year, leaving an underspend of approximately £8,000, which the council has carried into the current year’s budget for community distribution.
As the money set aside for the fund yearly is £20,000, that has been added to the pot left over from 2024, increasing the amount avaible for distribution. While Cllr Dad did not provide a definitive igure for the number of recipients in the current financial year, he confirmed that “many organisations” have been supported and said exact totals would be released once officer verification is complete.
The fund’s purpose, he said, is to ensure that small grassroots groups across Hyndburn can deliver projects with tangible community benefit, without having to navigate complex or competitive national grant schemes. Applications are made directly and assessed by cabinet members, who consider both need and deliverability.
Decision-making: process, criteria, and officer oversight
A central theme of Cllr Dad’s explanation was the fund’s emphasis on simplicity and accessibility. He described the application process as deliberately straightforward, requiring groups to demonstrate that they have a constitution, a bank account, and a realistic, deliverable proposal.
Cabinet members review applications collectively, with officers providing governance support. This includes eligibility checks and verification of financial documentation before funds are released.
“We look at whether the group is genuine, whether the proposal is viable, and whether the costings make sense,” Cllr Dad said, noting that the cabinet relies on officer guidance where required.
Conflicts of interest and fairness
Cllr Dad also addressed concerns about transparency and potential conflicts of interest. He said that cabinet members are expected to declare any connection to applicant organisations and remove themselves from decision-making where relevant.
“If somebody has a link to a group, they don’t take part in the decision,” he said noting that officers formally record declarations of interest. While he did not give details of any conflicts declared to date, he stressed that fairness is central to the scheme’s legitimacy and that the fund is intended to be accessible to all community groups, regardless of location or political affiliation.
Distribution across wards: borough-wide access, but data still to come
A key public concern has been whether funding is distributed equitably across Hyndburn’s wards, or whether areas represented by cabinet members receive a disproportionate share.
Cllr Dad said that, in principle, the fund is open borough-wide, and that the cabinet pays attention to “ensuring a fair spread” across Hyndburn. However, he also confirmed that the council has not yet produced a formal breakdown of funded groups by ward 6.
He said that mapping the geographic distribution of grants is possible and that he would consider providing such data, but this was not available at the time of the interview. Instead, he reiterated that the fund is “not targeted at any specific area,” and that groups from across the borough “regularly apply and receive support.”
Looking ahead, he said the council intends to strengthen monitoring to better track community benefit and ensure ongoing fairness.
Tracking outcomes and evaluating impact
Asked how the council measures the effectiveness of funded projects, Cllr Dad said that groups are expected to report back and demonstrate the activity or community benefit delivered through the grant. He explained that part of the arrangement requires funded groups to publicise their projects so residents can see how money is being used.
“They are asked to share their progress and outcomes, and let the community know what they have done.”
While he did not outline formal evaluation metrics or structured monitoring frameworks, he said the cabinet intends to follow up more systematically in future funding rounds. The emphasis, he added, remains on supporting small, local initiatives that may struggle to access other funding.
The unresolved discrepancy: 14 vs. 25 grassroots sports clubs
A central focus of the interview was a discrepancy in public statements regarding the number of grassroots sports clubs supported by the fund. Some figures have cited 14 clubs, while others have referred to 25.
Cllr Dad acknowledged the inconsistency and confirmed that officers are currently checking the figures to establish an accurate total. He declined to give a number during the interview, stating that a verified number would be provided, however North West Bylines have requested these details on 3rd December 2024 but at the time of writing we have not yet received a response.
The discrepancy therefore remains unresolved, though under active review. He did not indicate whether the final figure was likely to be closer to the lower or higher total.
Balancing demand and resources
Throughout the discussion, Cllr Dad maintained that the Cabinet Action Fund remains an important route for local groups seeking support for community initiatives, particularly during a period of constrained council finances. He said demand year-on-year has remained strong.
He noted that the fund’s relatively small scale allows cabinet members to make assessments that are “quick, direct, and responsive,” though this also means resources are finite. The additional £20,000 added this year was intended to expand the council’s reach and maintain access for groups who rely on small, project-focused grants.
He also suggested that increased demand may prompt more structured monitoring and reporting as the scheme continues to evolve.
Officer involvement: governance and verification
Several times during the interview, Cllr Dad emphasised the role of council officers in providing governance support, including verifying financial documents, ensuring compliance, and tracking declarations of interest.
He said that the process depends on a clear division of responsibilities:
- Cabinet members consider the merits of applications.
- Officers verify the governance, legality, and documentation.
This division, he argued, helps ensure the fund remains compliant and transparent while avoiding unnecessary bureaucratic barriers for community groups.
The current verification process regarding the number of funded organisations – including sports clubs, is an example of this officer-led oversight, he said.
What remains uncertain
While the interview provided substantial insight into the principles behind the scheme, several key questions remain unanswered until officers release the clarified data. These include:
- The exact number of organisations supported in the current year.
- The accurate total number of grassroots sports clubs funded since the scheme began.
- A geographic distribution of awards by ward.
- Any formal evaluation or outcomes data showing the impact of funded projects.
These gaps do not contradict any of the Leader’s statements, but they show that – in its current form, the fund relies more on the cabinet’s practical judgement and less on structured, published monitoring.
Cllr Dad said that more detailed information would be provided next week, suggesting that the Cabinet Action Fund may be moving towards greater transparency as public and media interest increases.
A fund rooted in accessibility, awaiting fuller visibility
In closing, Cllr Dad reiterated that the Cabinet Action Fund is built on transparency, fairness, and simplicity. He emphasised that the council wants Hyndburn’s community groups to feel able to apply without barriers, adding that cabinet members and officers work together to ensure funds reach those with viable and beneficial proposals.
However, with key figures still awaiting confirmation, including the total number of funded clubs and organisations, the coming week may provide the most crucial test of the fund’s governance: the clarity of its own data.
Until then, the Leader’s statements offer a broad but incomplete picture of how the Cabinet Action Fund operates, and how the council intends to strengthen transparency as the fund continues to expand its role in the borough.
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