Issue - meetings

  To receive a report from the Corporate Director, People.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities, Leisure and Libraries presented a report which provided an overview of the Household Support Fund 2024 (1 April 2024 - 30 September 2024), which Wiltshire Council has been allocated £2,728,656.41 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Cllr Blair-Pilling reported that the Fund is being provided to support households who would otherwise struggle to buy food or pay essential utility bills or meet other essential living costs to help them with significantly rising living costs between 1 April 2024-30 September 2024. He explained that this was a whole Council approach and commented on how previous Housing Support funding had been distributed to support 25,000 households in Wiltshire, through 87 schemes administered by the Council and third sector partners. It was confirmed that support would now be provided for Traveller and Boater communities who were previously unable to apply for support.

Cllr Blair-Pilling offered to provide detailed information about how the support fund had been allocated for consideration by Overview and Scrutiny. Cllr Graham Wright, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee welcomed the opportunity for Overview and Scrutiny input.

Cllr Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, welcomed the support being provided by the Fund. In response to a question about how to apply for funding, officers indicated that residents could apply for funding through an application process. They confirmed that a briefing about the Fund and application process had been held along with a press release. Details of how to apply for funding were available on a dedicated website page on the Wiltshire Council website, and through support from local libraries for residents unable to access the website.

Cllr Gordon King, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, suggested that a ‘heat-map’ of activity and support areas would be helpful for Overview and Scrutiny consideration in the future.  

Resolved:

1.    Notes the content of the report;

2.    Delegates the payment criteria of the grant to the Director, Finance and Procurement (S151 Officer), Corporate Director, People, and the Director, Public Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities, Leisure, and Libraries.

Reason for Decision:

To inform Members of the Household Support Fund allocation Wiltshire Council has been awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions.