Agenda item

The Head of Community and Housing Services presented an update report on the subject of Cost of Living Proposals. 

This report followed a previous report on this subject that had been considered by Members earlier in the year.  Cabinet was informed that during consideration of the previous report, Members had requested that outreach work be delivered across the District as part of the arrangements for use of the available funding.  The latest update report provided details in respect of that outreach work.  Members were asked to note that, subject to Council approval, the funding for the CAB would be subject to requirements that would be detailed in a funding agreement, which would include clear measures in respect of outcomes.

Following the presentation of the report, Members raised a number of points during the debate:

·             The breakdown of funding provided by the Council to the CAB, the Basement Project and NewStarts and the arrangements by which referrals would be made to the CAB outreach worker.

·             The differences between the roles of the CAB outreach worker and the Voluntary Sector Money Advisor.  Members were advised that the CAB outreach worker would enhance existing services provided by the CAB whilst the Voluntary Sector Money Advisor would have a more specialist housing role.

·             The Council Department in which the Voluntary Sector Money Advisor would be employed.  Cabinet was informed that the Officer would be based in the Council’s Financial Inclusion Team (FIT).

·             The extent to which there was a risk that the two post holders might duplicate each other’s work.  Officers clarified that they would have distinct roles and that they would need to comply with the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA’s) rules for working with clients.

·             The extent to which the CAB outreach worker post was likely to become a permanent position.  Members were advised that the funding available was time limited.  However, the VCS were aiming to submit a lottery bid for funding for this position, which could help to extend the timeframes in which the post was in place.

·             The stage that had been reached with the lottery bid.  Officers clarified that work had already commenced within the VCS in terms of preparing the paperwork for submission.

·             The potential support that could be provided for the lottery bid arising from monitoring the CAB outreach worker’s output.

·             The resource implications to the Council arising from monitoring the work of the CAB outreach worker.  Officers clarified that the CAB would be required to undertake this monitoring, so the resource implications for the Council were minimal.

·             The cohort of residents who were most likely to seek advice from the CAB, according to the available data.  Members commented that this was most likely for people earning wages valued at between £49,000 and £53,000 per annum.

RECOMMENDED that

1)          from the remaining £150,000 contained within earmarked reserves to support cost of living initiatives, £38,000 is allocated to a Voluntary Sector Money Adviser;

2)          the £62,000 allocation to Citizen’s Advice be amended to fund an Outreach Development Worker through to March 2026.

(During consideration of this item, Councillor S. Webb declared a pecuniary interest due to her appointment to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) as an outside body on behalf of the Council.  She therefore left the room and took no part in the debate nor vote thereon.

Councillor E. Gray declared a pecuniary interest in relation to her appointment to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) as an outside body on behalf of the Council.  She left the meeting prior to consideration of this item and therefore took no part in the debate nor did she observe the vote thereon.)