Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision

The City Council has developed an Anti-Poverty Strategy.

 

The Officer’s report set out the results of public consultation on a draft version of the Strategy between 27 October 2014 and 30 January 2015. It sought approval for a final version of the Strategy, which addressed the main points raised by respondents to the consultation.

 

The City Council received accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation as a Living Wage employer on 3 November 2014, and appointed a Living Wage Coordinator in November 2014 to promote the Living Wage to businesses and organisations in Cambridge. The Officer’s report summarised progress to date and proposed an action plan for future work.

 

The Fuel and Water Poverty Action Plan had been developed in response to the ‘Anti-Poverty Strategy’, which acknowledged the problem of increasing energy and water costs on lower income residents contributing to poverty in the city. Following research and consultation a series of actions had been identified focussing predominantly on low income households. The aim of the Action Plan was to reduce the number of households in fuel and/or water poverty across the city. This report sought approval for the key areas of focus in the Action Plan.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources

       i.          Approved the final Anti-Poverty Strategy (Appendix E of the Officer’s report).

     ii.          Approved the Living Wage Action Plan (Appendix C).

   iii.          Approved the key areas of focus for the Fuel and Water Poverty Action Plan (Appendix D).

 

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 Committee commented in response to the report that the Council should encourage organisations to pay the living wage in Cambridge and work with the Living Wage Forum to do this. This included businesses, higher/further education establishments and charities.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Strategy and Partnerships Manager said the following:

       i.          A pilot scheme was being undertaken in the city to ensure that those living on low incomes across the city have access to information and support to benefit from opportunities to reduce their energy and water costs. This would be reviewed, and if it led to benefits, would be rolled out to Housing Association tenants.

     ii.          There is a countywide energy supplier switching scheme, which has limited coverage. The City Council periodically ran its own scheme, but there was no formal connection between the two.

   iii.          The Council was trying to learn from other cities’ living wage schemes. The intention was to engage as many businesses as possible. The Living Wage Forum and Co-ordinator were engaging with national chains. Some national chains allowed more local policy decision making than others, which affected engagement with the living wage scheme. There had been some success with companies who have headquarters in Cambridge.

 

The Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources said that consumers had a big impact on business.

 

   iv.          Some organisations (including sub-contractors) had signed up to living wage accreditation. Others said they paid the living wage but hadn’t got accreditation. Some organisations had not engaged in the process. Encouraging organisations to pay the living wage and get accreditation would get momentum for greater buy-in.

    v.          The Council was looking to influence organisations to pay the living wage, rather than dictate to them, as there were legal implications if the Council refused to work with an organisation who was not living wage accredited.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.