Issue - meetings

Report of Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities

RESOLVED THAT:

-       the framework for the award of grant funding for the Household Support Fund is approved;

-       authority is delegated to the Head of Communities, Wellbeing and Partnerships, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities, to determine the agreed amounts to be awarded to individual organisations.

In the absence of the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities, the Leader read the following introduction to her report:

The Household Support Fund is channelled to Cheltenham through Gloucestershire County Council.

Together with our local partner organisations, we work through how we can best support our children, pensioners and families who need extra help. We met on 18th May and I am delighted that our partners confirmed their willingness to be part of the programme.

This will be the third tranche of funding received in the last twelve months and as you can see from the report, we will continue to support people with their energy costs together with the Food Network; Household Essentials and Children's Centres, CCP and Unstoppable In addition increased advice capacity through Citizens Advice will be supported.

The Cabinet Member for Housing said that the report shows how many amazing local community groups we have in Cheltenham, supporting residents through tough times, in particular the pandemic and the cost of living crisis.  She gave a shout-out to these organisations, which do such a great job in providing necessities such as food, heating and clothing.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets said the figures are staggering, and considered it a shocking indictment of the government that such help was needed by so many people.

RESOLVED THAT:

-       the framework for the award of grant funding for the Household Support Fund is approved;

-       authority is delegated to the Head of Communities, Wellbeing and Partnerships, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities, to determine the agreed amounts to be awarded to individual organisations.