Members are requested to consider the report as set out on pages 53 - 56 of the Cabinet agenda for 5 July 2022 and make the following resolutions as recommended by the Cabinet:
1. To create a help and support service for residents facing cumulative problems of financial, debt and other cost of living issues, run as a 2-year pilot with a review built in 6 months after going live and subject to on-going and final evaluation.
2. That £300,000 be allocated to come from the General Fund Reserves for staffing and operational costs for up to 2 years.
3. That the further detail including allocation of funding to the various elements of the proposal is delegated to the Divisional Manager Housing, Revenues and Benefits in consultation with the Director of Housing and Communities and Cabinet Members set out in section 1 above.
Minutes:
Cllr Briscoe proposed the recommendation which was seconded by Cllr Lintill.
Cllr Wilding introduced the item.
Cllr Brown asked whether the service had been included in the Future Services Framework and whether the council would be recruiting externally. Cllr Lintill confirmed that this had not been part of the Future Services Framework as the idea had come after that piece of work. Mr Ward added that if agreed it would be added to the discretionary spend on the Future Services Framework. Cllr Wilding explained that recruitment would be external but would therefore be available to internal staff too. Mrs Rudziak added that if internal staff were appointed the funding would be used to backfill their posts.
Cllr Plowman gave his support.
Cllr Donna Johnson gave her support and drew members attention to the ‘full-up’ in scheme in Selsey providing ingredients to children during the school holidays. She added that the local Foodbanks had recently run out of food.
Cllr Bangert asked if the support would be face to face. Cllr Wilding explained that a dedicated worker would be allocated with face to face meetings where possible.
Cllr O’Kelly asked members to consider how the County Council Community Hub would continue to work alongside this service so they align.
Cllr Sharp thanked officers and members for bringing this forward. She drew attention to the work of UK Harvest and face to face discussions with residents. She raised concerns about services being offered online to those who do not access online.
Cllr Oakley noted that this discretionary spend would help those most vulnerable. He asked members to ensure that there is no duplication of support offered by others. Cllr Briscoe clarified that this had been considered to ensure there is no duplication.
Cllr Sutton wished to reassure Cllr Sharp that there is the offer of services not online for those who do not have online access.
Mrs Rudziak added that this is the design stage so members feedback would be taken on board.
Cllr Purnell asked members to look across the board at where support is being offered. She gave the example of the Community Hub in Selsey offering debt advice.
Cllr Moss gave support to the service. He asked Cabinet members to talk to the government about the cost of living crisis. He gave support for the service being face to face. Cllr Lintill confirmed that the Cabinet have been speaking to the government and that the project was a Cabinet initiative.
In a vote the following resolutions were agreed: