Issue - meetings

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

It was resolved –

·      To expand the funding previously agreed under phase1 to help with housing costs for people moving from temporary accommodation to provide grants to any household where a housing need has been identified (flooring costs, furniture costs, food and rent arrears) where the household is not eligible for help under the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) scheme (Paragraph 2.3.4 of the report refers).

·      To approve the additional projects as set out in Appendix 1, paragraph 4 .

·      To authorise the Community Housing Service Manager to identify a suitable local partner/organisation(s) who could continue to provide cost of living support through the schemes set up by the Council beyond 31 March, 2023, and to authorise the transfer of any remaining funds to the organisation identified, should all the funding not be utilised by the end of March, 2023.

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer on the Cost of Living Discretionary Scheme – Phase 2 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance, Council Business and Customer Experience presented the report and said that the cost of living main scheme has afforded  around 23,000 households receiving a grant of £150 which are within the Council Tax Bands A to D.  Phase 1 of the Discretionary Scheme provided additional support to other vulnerable groups which were not eligible for assistance under the main scheme.  The funding within Phase 2 of the scheme needs to be utilised by 31 March, 2023 and it has been decided to afford funding to Anglesey residents with health conditions and residents who use domestic heating oil to heat their homes as they have not received support during the cost of living discretionary scheme. 

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer reported that the

Discretionary Scheme has allowed the funding to be distributed to groups that the Council considers that need support.  He noted that if any person considers that they are eligible for such funding needs to contact the J E O’Toole Centre in Holyhead or the CAB. 

It was resolved:-

·      To expand the funding previously agreed under phase1 to help with housing costs for people moving from temporary accommodation to provide grants to any household where a housing need has been identified (flooring costs, furniture costs, food and rent arrears) where the household is not eligible for help under the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) scheme (Paragraph 2.3.4 of the report refers).

·      To approve the additional projects as set out in Appendix 1, paragraph 4.

·      To authorise the Community Housing Service Manager to identify a suitable local partner/organisation(s) who could continue to provide cost of living support through the schemes set up by the Council beyond 31 March, 2023, and to authorise the transfer of any remaining funds to the organisation identified, should all the funding not be utilised by the end of March, 2023.