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Decision Maker: Executive Councillor for Communities.
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
To approve a revised and updated Anti-Poverty Strategy for the period from April 2020-March 2023.
Matter for
Decision
The Council has produced two previous Anti-Poverty Strategies covering
the periods from 2014-2017 and 2017-2020. The Officer’s report provided an
update on delivery of key actions included in the 2017-2020 Strategy.
The Officer’s report also presented a revised Anti-Poverty Strategy for
the 2020-2023 period for approval.
Decision
of Executive Councillor for Communities
Approved the revised Anti-Poverty Strategy for 2020-2023 and the
accompanying action plan
Reason for the Decision
As set out in the Officer’s report.
Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected
Not applicable.
Scrutiny
Considerations
The Committee received a report from the Strategy and Partnerships Manager.
The Strategy and Partnerships Manager said the following in response to
Members’ questions:
i.
74 employers had been accredited as paying a living
wage out of 4,400 across the city. Residents were also being paid a living wage
by some employers who did not have the accreditation.
ii.
Larger employers had been approached first. Small
and medium employers were next.
iii.
In order to be accredited, companies would have to
sign up to paying a living wage to employees and contractors.
iv.
A lot of dedicated work had been put into the
Living Wage Campaign. A lot of 1-2-1 work and networking at business
conferences was required with employers to convince them of the need. More work
was required but the living wage featured prominently in the Anti-Poverty
Strategy.
v.
More people were attending food banks. The City
Council was part of the food poverty alliance. This funded work through grants
to city residents. Work was ongoing during the corona virus pandemic.
vi.
There was a bid in the council’s Budget Setting
Report for a project to establish a food hub in the city with voluntary groups.
vii.
It was hard to quantify the impact of Universal
Credit on residents. Stakeholders had raised issues with officers about being
responsible for managing their own personal budgets; this was difficult if one
was not experienced. Officers could offer support to try and avoid people
experiencing financial difficulties and rent arears.
The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendation.
The Executive Councillor
approved the recommendation.
Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted)
No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor.
Publication date: 17/08/2020
Date of decision: 02/07/2020