Agenda item

To receive a report from the Chief Executive

The Chairman invited Councillor Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council, to introduce a report which provided an update on the current and planned actions taken to support residents, businesses and staff in the Wiltshire community. 

The Leader explained that the Council was aware of the pressures many people are facing on the cost of living crisis, and the real potential for these to grow over the autumn and winter period. He welcomed the additional support announced by the government in the mini-budget and through the Energy Price Guarantee for residents and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme for businesses, together with proposed longer-term market reforms. Assurances were provided that it was the Cabinet’s and officers’ priority to make sure Wiltshire is prepared for the further significant challenges expected during the coming months. He then outlined a number of actions being undertaken by the Council, as further detailed in the report. He moved that the Council note the update, which was seconded by Councillor Laura Mayes.

Group Leaders were then invited to comment on the report.

Councillor Ian Thorn, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, welcomed describing the situation as a crisis and commented on the challenges being faced by residents who would not normally engage with support streams, and hard to reach groups that would also not normally engage with the council. He also raised the impact on small businesses, public buildings providing warm spaces for residents, the impact of the mini-budget and food banks.

Councillor Ricky Rogers, Leader of the Labour Group, noted that residents generally did not approach the Council for support during times of hardship, and a public campaign would be welcomed to provide information about how the Council could offer support.

The item was then opened for general debate with issues raised including:

·       The role and importance of Food Banks across the county and the support offered;

·       Appreciation of the support from the Wellbeing Hub, Area Boards and voluntary organisations to their local communities;

·       Concern from some members about the reduction in funding for lunch clubs and friendship clubs;

·       The work of Fair Share in the supply of products to community interest companies;

·       Impact of cost of living increases across all sections of society and the general increase in need;

·       The challenge in identifying residents needing help;

·       Concern about the reduction in the supply of food;

·       Delays in processing benefit claims and associated impact on food bank usage, and reductions in citizen’s advice funding;

·       Impact of cost of living pressures on the mental health of those delivering services;

·       Other issues including Council tax, challenges for retail tenancies, work with voluntary groups, limiting bureaucracy wherever possible, social housing providers, rural poverty including access to food banks, and other matters.

In response to the debate the Leader agreed on the importance to communicate where the council and others could assist people, and the difficulties in persuading some people to ask for assistance, noting rural poverty as an example. On lunch and friendship clubs he stated the previous system had sporadic provision, and the new system was designed to provide support across the county on a basis of where the need was. In relation to issues around universal credit he noted this was paid through central government and the council was not able to affect change in that area. He added that the council itself faced significant inflationary pressures, and the need to be able to deliver on services on which peoples’ lives depended, and there was a limited pot of funding.

Following a vote, it was then,

Resolved:

That the Council notes the update on Cost of Living.