Issue - meetings

Report of Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    the Household Support Fund Delivery Plan for the award of grant made by Gloucestershire County Council on behalf of the Department of Works and Pensions under the Household Support Fund Programme 2024/25, as set out in para 4.9, is approved; 

2.    authority is delegated to the Head of Communities, Wellbeing & Partnerships in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities to determine the agreed amounts to be awarded to individual organisations to deliver the Household Support Fund Programme 2024/25.

In the absence of the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities, the Leader introduced her report, highlighting the main issues as set out.  She thanked the officer team for a very informative report, saying that although it was not a happy read, it shows that the council is doing all it can to support our most vulnerable residents.

Members made the following comments:

-       the funding is welcomed and clearly vital to many families, as the previous government’s solution didn’t solve the problem.  This proposal includes £45,240 in food support alone, with huge additional donations from our partners and other providers across the town.  It will be good to see how the new government deals with the cost-of-living crisis and the desperate level of poverty in our society;

-       it is amazing that the sixth richest country in the world should find itself in this position, and shameful that we are unable to do anything to change the situation – a small amount of money helps but doesn’t solve the problem.  The solution lies at the heart of the government.

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    the Household Support Fund Delivery Plan for the award of grant made by Gloucestershire County Council on behalf of the Department of Works and Pensions under the Household Support Fund Programme 2024/25, as set out in para 4.9, is approved; 

2.    authority is delegated to the Head of Communities, Wellbeing & Partnerships in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities to determine the agreed amounts to be awarded to individual organisations to deliver the Household Support Fund Programme 2024/25.