Issue - meetings

Cost of Living Support

Meeting: 11/07/2024 - Place and Resources Overview Committee (Item 6)

6 Cost of Living Support 2024-25 PDF 341 KB

To consider a report of the Business Partner – Communities and Partnerships.

Minutes:

The committee received and considered a report of the Business Partner – Communities and Partnerships, which set out a proposed programme of funded activity to support those residents hit hardest by the ongoing cost of living challenge. This followed on from the agreement by Cabinet for a further £2m of spending from reserves and the request by Cabinet that the committee consider and make comments and recommendations on the proposed programme. This would enable the Cabinet Member for Customer, Culture and Community Engagement and the Executive Director for Corporate Development (S151) to undertake their authority as delegated by Cabinet.

The Business Partner – Communities and Partnerships, provided an overview of each proposed project and councillors provided comments as follows:

1. Adult Services – Housing – Homelessness prevention

· Comments regarding contact arrangements were raised, including contact for councillors and would be passed to the appropriate manager in the area

· There would be regular reporting back to scrutiny

· Councillors were content with the proposal

2. Place – Economic Regeneration – Healthy Homes Dorset

· A point was noted that the allocated funding should sit within the service budget to ensure a sustainable footing moving forward. The Cabinet Member noted that elements of the proposals would be considered as part of the forthcoming budget setting process

· Councillors were supportive of the proposal

3. Citizens Advice

· Councillors supported the proposal and recognised the support available through Citizens Advice

· It was noted that monitoring of the outcome of investment generally was undertaken as part of each grant agreement

· The need for investment in the provision of debt support was noted.

4. Corporate Services – Revenues and Benefits – Discretionary Housing Payment Allowance

· Councillors supported the proposal.

5. Adults Services – Housing – Disabled Facilities Grant

· Clarification would be sought as to whether this applied to private rented housing

· It was noted that this would support those people already working with the referral team

· Any changes in Government approach in this area would need to be considered

· Quarterly monitoring by scrutiny would be undertaken

· Additional funding could be provided later in the year if required.

6. Adults Services – Housing Standards – Investment in Lendology

· Assurance was given that Lendology worked closely with individuals and that there was a full financial background process undertaken

· A question was raised as to the scrutiny of the scheme to date and the need for scrutiny moving forwards, including through the budget process. The committee requested that this item be looked at by the scrutiny committee

· The Cabinet Member noted that the funding could be ring-fenced in the budget following a satisfactory scrutiny of the scheme

· Full information could be provided to the scrutiny committee for their review.

7. Corporate Development – Communities and Partnerships & VCS – Emergency and Affordable food security

· A discussion was held regarding the use of a referral-based model in the proposal and there was a recognition of the different types of food support available

· The ambition was to move people from emergency food into sustainable and ... view the full minutes text for item 6

Meeting: 11/06/2024 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 Cost of Living Support PDF 328 KB

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Customer, Culture and Community Engagement.

Additional documents:

Appendix 1 - Cost of Living Report, item 6 PDF 88 KB

Decision:

(a) That the funded activity for 2023-24 and the outcomes achieved, be noted.

(b) That Cabinet agree to earmark a further £2m from Council reserves to support the continuation of a targeted programme of work to support our most vulnerable residents and to complement and address any gaps in other national and local support programmes.

(c) That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Customer, Culture and Community Engagement, to agree the targeted programme of work in consultation with the Executive Director Corporate Development (S151) and having regard to any views and recommendations of the Place and Resources Overview Committee.

(d) That financial support for the cost-of-living agenda be considered as part of the Council’s annual budget setting process.

Minutes:

The Cabinet member for Customer, Culture, and Community Engagement set out a report asking Cabinet to note the programme of activities developed to complement and enhance the support provided by central government and Dorset Council in the financial year 2023-24. The paper also proposed to earmark a further £2m from reserves for a targeted programme of work to support the most vulnerable residents in the Dorset area for the remainder of this financial year.

Cabinet was advised that the detail of targeted programme of work would be agreed by the Cabinet member in consultation with the Executive Director Corporate Development (S151) following consideration of the programme by the Place and Resources Overview Committee. It was also proposed that any further financial support to the cost-of-living should be considered as part of the budget setting process.

The Business Partner for Communities and Partnerships confirmed that any future programme developed would be a mix of assisting with gaps in government provision and supporting our voluntary organisations. She also highlighted that the data set out in the report indicated that many of the organisations the council currently supported were struggling to keep up with demand.

Responding to questions, the Cabinet member understood the concerns expressed around delivery, community fridges and larders. However, details around food security, framework of the programme and how it should be delivered would be discussed at the meeting of the Place and Resources Overview Committee on 11 July 2024. The Leader of the Council confirmed that the £2m from reserves was a one-off payment with any future funding to be embedded as part of the annual budget setting process.

In response to questions around which overview committee this report should be referred to, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that Article 7 of the Constitution and the identification of a primary responsibility did not prevent either of the overview committees considering any matter that may cut across different theme areas (except for education functions). So, for reasons of expediency and as the matter was cross cutting, it was acceptable for this issue to be considered by Place and Resources Overview Committee. The Leader of the Council confirmed that he would ask the Chair of Place and Resources Overview Committee to invite members of the People and Health Overview Committee to attend the meeting to participate in the discussion.

Following questions and discussion by Cabinet members, the Chief Executive confirmed that the most appropriate committee for Appendix 1 of the report to be reviewed would be People and Health Scrutiny Committee should that be requested.

It was proposed by Cllr R Hope and seconded by Cllr S Robinson

Decision

(a) That the funded activity for 2023-24 and the outcomes achieved, be noted.