Issue - meetings

Household Support Fund

Meeting: 04/04/2023 - Cabinet (Item 5)

5 Household Support Grant: 2023/24 Full Year Allocation and Free School Meals pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Background:

This report set out a proposal to use the latest round of funding allocated to the Council through the Household Support Fund for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The Council had been allocated £4,524,926 for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

The report proposed that the Council continue the existing grant scheme in Medway, which was considered to be working well.

The report explained that for 2023/24, local authorities were required to complete a delivery plan to outline their priorities, approach and how they intended to allocate their funding and to nominate a Senior Responsible Officer. Submission of the Plan to the Department for Work and Pensions was required by 17 May 2023.

Decision

number:

 

Decision:

 

51/2023

The Cabinet agreed the proposals set out in section 3 of the report as the Council’s approach to delivering the Household Support Fund and agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business Management, to finalise and implement these proposals.

52/2023

The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business Management, to submit a Delivery Plan for Medway to the Department for Work and Pensions in line with the Cabinet decision.

53/2023

The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business Management, to make minor amendments to the proposals to enable them to continue to support vulnerable households in Medway, including amending any discretionary eligibility criteria where discussions remain ongoing and where further Government advice is provided.

Reasons:

Given the lack of cost to the local taxpayer it is appropriate for the Council to introduce these measures to support our most vulnerable residents.