Agenda item

That Cabinet approves the following:

The approval of funding of up to £945,390 to be granted to provide food vouchers for up to 12,101 households, as detailed in paragraph 36 of the report.

A grant of £100,000 to be held by the connect4communities programme to be allocated to schools in the form of a discretionary grant that will enable them to provide financial support to families in need with food, generic uniform, warm clothing / bedding or wider essential, as detailed in paragraph 42 of the report.

A grant of £150,000 is made available to Citizens Advice for them to financially support over 500 households with fuel bills, provide a telephone signposting service to the connect4communities programme, offer an outreach support and advice service in Foodbank Café’s and Community Pantries and for the provision of energy efficient white goods where the need is identified.  Such grant will be provided on terms to be agreed by the Director of Children’s Services and in accordance with the grant criteria set out in paragraph 18 of the report.

Funding of £55,000 to be granted to the Footprint Trust to provide advice to households on reducing energy costs, and for the provision of energy efficient white goods across the Island, as well as items such as hot water tank insulation, draft excluders etc. in.  This grant is expected to benefit around 800 households.

Grants of £170,000 to be used to expand and support the network of community pantries across the Isle of Wight, offering a more sustainable approach to helping households, as detailed in paragraphs 55-58 of the report.  Such grants will be provided on terms to be agreed by the Director of Children’s Services.

A grant of £30,000 to be awarded to The Isle of Wight Foodbank for the purchase of food, energy efficient kitchen appliances and assisting with the set-up of a community garden to grow fresh vegetables, as detailed in paragraph 63 of the report.

It is recommended that Cabinet delegates approval to the Director of Children’s Services to approve community grant awards to organisations delivering services that meet the criteria of the grant (as set out in paragraph 18 of the report for targeted financial support for those in need until 31 March 2024 in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills totalling £500,000.

Funding of up to £30,000 be ringfenced to commission Third Party Organisations to provide support and advice on budgeting, finances, maximising income as well as accessing other help, as detailed in paragraph 70 of the report.  Such grant will be provided on terms to be agreed by the Director of Children’s Services.

A grant of £45,000 to IW Carers who support c. 800 unpaid carers on the Island.  The grant is to be used to support 200 unpaid carers with clothing, travel, medical equipment, and kitchen appliances. Detail is set out in paragraph 72 of the report.

A grant of £50,000 to Age UK for the delivery of hygiene packs to 1,000 pensioners, particularly those struggling with the cost of incontinence products and in rural areas as detailed in paragraph 74 of the report.

It is recommended that Cabinet delegates approval to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills, to agree a fund of £20,000 to be used to assist exceptional and genuine emergency cases with housing costs in accordance with DWP grant conditions, as detailed in paragraphs 76 – 80 of the report.

That Cabinet delegates approval to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills to approve the reallocation of any Household Support Fund underspend to organisations delivering services that meet the criteria.  This will ensure that where spend does not meet the approvals set out in this report, the Isle of Wight Council can rapidly adapt the approach to ensure needs are met.

Councillor P Fuller declared an interest in this item and took no part in the discussion or the vote, as he was a trustee of the Footprint Trust, one of the proposed beneficiaries of the funding.

A list of the proposed funding to different organisations and the recommended amounts was given.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet approves the following:

The approval of funding of up to £945,390 to be granted to provide food vouchers for up to 12,101 households, as detailed in paragraph 36 of the report.

A grant of £100,000 to be held by the connect4communities programme to be allocated to schools in the form of a discretionary grant that will enable them to provide financial support to families in need with food, generic uniform, warm clothing / bedding or wider essential, as detailed in paragraph 42 of the report.

A grant of £150,000 is made available to Citizens Advice for them to financially support over 500 households with fuel bills, provide a telephone signposting service to the connect4communities programme, offer an outreach support and advice service in Foodbank Cafés and Community Pantries and for the provision of energy efficient white goods where the need is identified.  Such grant will be provided on terms to be agreed by the Director of Children’s Services and in accordance with the grant criteria set out in paragraph 18 of the report.

Funding of £55,000 to be granted to the Footprint Trust to provide advice to households on reducing energy costs, and for the provision of energy efficient white goods across the Island, as well as items such as hot water tank insulation, draft excluders etc. in.  This grant is expected to benefit around 800 households.

Grants of £170,000 to be used to expand and support the network of community pantries across the Isle of Wight, offering a more sustainable approach to helping households, as detailed in paragraphs 55-58 of the report.  Such grants will be provided on terms to be agreed by the Director of Children’s Services.

A grant of £30,000 to be awarded to The Isle of Wight Foodbank for the purchase of food, energy efficient kitchen appliances and assisting with the set-up of a community garden to grow fresh vegetables, as detailed in paragraph 63 of the report.

It is recommended that Cabinet delegates approval to the Director of Children’s Services to approve community grant awards to organisations delivering services that meet the criteria of the grant (as set out in paragraph 18 of the report for targeted financial support for those in need until 31 March 2024 in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills totalling £500,000.

Funding of up to £30,000 be ringfenced to commission Third Party Organisations to provide support and advice on budgeting, finances, maximising income as well as accessing other help, as detailed in paragraph 70 of the report.  Such grant will be provided on terms to be agreed by the Director of Children’s Services.

A grant of £45,000 to IW Carers who support c. 800 unpaid carers on the Island.  The grant is to be used to support 200 unpaid carers with clothing, travel, medical equipment, and kitchen appliances. Detail is set out in paragraph 72 of the report.

A grant of £50,000 to Age UK for the delivery of hygiene packs to 1,000 pensioners, particularly those struggling with the cost of incontinence products and in rural areas as detailed in paragraph 74 of the report.

It is recommended that Cabinet delegates approval to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills, to agree a fund of £20,000 to be used to assist exceptional and genuine emergency cases with housing costs in accordance with DWP grant conditions, as detailed in paragraphs 76 – 80 of the report.

That Cabinet delegates approval to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Lifelong Skills to approve the reallocation of any Household Support Fund underspend to organisations delivering services that meet the criteria.  This will ensure that where spend does not meet the approvals set out in this report, the Isle of Wight Council can rapidly adapt the approach to ensure needs are met.