Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council grant delegated authority to the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness Prevention & Customer Services to agree the scheme for disbursing funding from the sixth Household Support Fund.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which Members approval to grant delegated authority to Strategic Director for Corporate Resources in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness Prevention & Customer Services for a  scheme to disburse funding from the sixth Household Support Fund.

Funding was provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to Devon County Council (DCC), however guidance or confirmed funding allocations had not been provided and delegated authority was requested to action the funding once guidance was provided.

Particular reference was made to:-

·         the funding support commenced as of the day of this meeting and any delay in bringing the report to a forthcoming meeting cycle would severely cut into the allotted support time;

·         the DWP guidance had since been released since the report was published, and remained broadly unchanged, from scheme 5, as were plans from Devon County Council;

·         scheme 6 had an increased emphasis on pensioners; and

·         the Council was on track to run the preferred scheme in line with the other districts and the Council was waiting for a confirmed funding agreement from Devon County Council, to draft the proposed policy.

Cllrs Mitchell and Moore as opposition group leaders spoke on the item and raised points and questions, which were responded to by Senior Officers, as detailed further in this minute.

Councillor Jobson as an opposition group leader had submitted questions prior to the meeting which were responded and are supplemented to the minutes.

During the discussion, Executive Members raised the following points and questions:-

·         the funding scheme and work to prepare it was welcomed; and

·         it was important there was strong communication for pensioners in particular to be made aware of the funding and to come forward to claim;

In response to questions and points raised by Members and opposition group leaders, the Leader and the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources advised that:-

·         Trend data for the previous schemes, for those that have applied or not could be made available to highlight the needs of residents.

·         There would be a strong communications drive to encourage as many residents as possible to come forward, particularly pensioners.

The Leader moved the recommendations, which was seconded by Councillor Wright, voted upon, and CARRIED unanimously.

RECOMMENDED that Council grant delegated authority to the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness Prevention & Customer Services to agree the scheme for disbursing funding from the sixth Household Support Fund.