Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision

The Council has an Anti-Poverty Strategy, which sets out a range of ongoing and new actions to address poverty in Cambridge over a three year period from 2017/18 to 2019/20.  A dedicated Sharing Prosperity Fund (SPF) was created in 2014 to support projects which contribute to the objectives of the strategy. The Officer’s report presented details of 8 projects, which the Executive Councillor for Communities is recommended to approve for funding from the SPF during 2018/19 and 2019/20. The proposals are either for new projects, or for continued funding for existing projects.

Decision of Executive Councillor for Communities

Approved the proposed allocation of funding from the Sharing Prosperity Fund as set out in Table 1 (paragraph 3.5 of the Officer’s report).

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 made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.          Councillor Gillespie referred to comments he previously made in October 2017 Community Services Committee. He thought the Anti-Poverty Strategy was good but could do more to anticipate trends that would affect the ability of people to avoid food poverty. Climate change and Brexit were both likely to affect the cost of importing food, and Cambridge has a particularly high reliance on imported food. He would like to see more action to increase food security because it would affect the poorest the most. He suggested the Council needed a sustainable food strategy, with a section on food poverty.

     ii.          Councillor Bird expressed concern about Universal Credit as people may become homeless if they could not pay bills.

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

       i.          The Officer’s report presented details of 8 projects that could receive SPF funding. It also set out expenditure to date in Appendix A. Some projects had received more SPF funding than others, and over a longer term. Other projects were funded for shorter periods if they subsequently received additional funding from other sources (not listed in the Officer’s report).

     ii.          A further report on project outputs and outcomes would come back to Community Services Committee in 2019.

   iii.          (Ref Appendix A) it was proposed that further SPF funding be  given to existing projects, such as Digital Access and Active in Cambridge, in 2018/19 to provide extra activities and outputs.

   iv.          Food security was an important consideration and the city needed to live sustainably. There were no specific SPF projects to cover this in this round of funding, but the Council was working with Cambridge Sustainable Food to support this objective as part of wider work being carried out to deliver the Council’s Climate Change Strategy.

    v.          If the proposed Universal Credit Outreach project were approved for SPF funding, CAB advisors would be on hand in JobCentre Plus Offices to provide financial advice to residents receiving Universal Credit. This would be similar to the work in Great Yarmouth, which has proved very successful.

The Executive Councillor responded to Councillor Gillespie:

       i.          The Council was also working with Cambridge Sustainable Food in respect for their plans for a 'Food Hub' in the city. They work with Food Cycle and other groups in the city in promoting the preparation of healthy, low-cost meals for families on low incomes. The Council already helped people with debt and money problems through Sharing Prosperity Fund initiatives, such as the 'Advice on Prescription' project.

     ii.          The Council Revenue and Benefits team have been preparing for the launch of Universal Credit for several years and were well-placed to ensure help is on hand for those affected by benefit changes.

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.