Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a report on proposed new arrangements for the administration of Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans.

It was reported that as part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, the Government had replaced elements of the discretionary Social Fund with “Local Assistance Schemes.”

Funding had been transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions to County Councils to enable schemes for emergency provision for vulnerable groups to be developed to reflect local circumstances so that Local Authorities could decide how best to meet severe hardship. The Government would expect that Councils would want to develop local systems which reflect local circumstances and will build upon services and programmes already in place and in addition will utilise and develop partnership arrangements.   

The report also proposed that the funding be transferred from Worcestershire County Council to the District Councils. In addition an element of funding to meet the costs of administration was proposed to be transferred.

RECOMMENDED that this Council accepts the transfer of funding from Worcestershire County Council to enable a scheme for local provision of Emergency funding for vulnerable groups within the District to be developed.  

RESOLVED:

(a)       that officers be requested to develop a detailed scheme for individuals to access the funding and that this be reported to Members in March; and

(b)       that officers be requested to report further on the level of funding once the final allocations have been determined.