Issue - meetings

The Government have announced a final extension of the Local Covid Support Grant scheme (formerly known as the Winter Grant Scheme (WSG)) to 30^th September 2021, and further funding of £392k to be allocated to City of York Council. This report requests  retrospective approval to support the Holiday Activities and Food scheme that will operate for 4 weeks in the summer holiday by supplying funding for Free School Meal Vouchers in the remaining 2 weeks (£100k).  This has been subject to an officer decision in the meantime due to preparation required ahead of the impending summer holidays.

Resolved:

                      i.         Noted the top slice of £100k from the new LCGS grant for free school meal vouchers during the remaining two weeks of the school summer holidays (as outlined in paragraph 10 of the report);

                     ii.         Approved the methodology outlined in paragraph 16 of the report for allocating the remaining grant to families identified as in need using the Council Tax Support  (CTS) scheme entitlement criteria;

                    iii.        Approved the continuation of the existing scheme for anyone not on CTS but requires help with food and bills (paragraph 18 of the report).

Reason:     To ensure government funding is utilised in the fairest and most direct way to support as many families as possible affected by the financial impacts of the Covid19 Pandemic.

Officers provided an update to the report noting that an Officer Decision had been made by officers in consultation with the Executive Members to support the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) scheme. The HAF scheme would operate for 4 weeks in the summer holiday, so the Local Covid Support Grant Scheme (LCSG) would supply funding for Free School Meal Vouchers in the remaining 2 weeks of the summer holiday at a cost of £100k from the LCSG. This decision was taken due to preparation being required ahead of the impending summer holidays. Executive Members noted the decision and the update to the report.

Members considered the proposed scheme to distribute monies from the LCSG. Officers noted that swift action was required to ensure the Council meet the deadline for distribution set out by Central Government. Officers noted that the scheme would contain an application process due to the Council not holding all relevant information that the scheme required, to pay out the grants to individuals already identified as being in need. It was confirmed that the Council would approach individuals in need such as those on Council Tax Support directly to encourage applications.

Members discussed how the Council could ensure take up of the grant and recommended that details be shared with Ward Councillors to promote, it was also confirmed that check points would be kept on the scheme by officers to ensure the grants were being distributed. For those that the Council would contact directly about applying, discussion took place on what communications would be in place and officers noted that a range of communications would be used to promote the scheme including text messages. Finally Members requested that a full range information of available support in the city be provided to those that apply to the scheme.     

Resolved:

                      i.         Noted the top slice of £100k from the new LCGS grant for free school meal vouchers during the remaining two weeks of the school summer holidays (as outlined in paragraph 10 of the report);

                     ii.         Approved the methodology outlined in paragraph 16 of the report for allocating the remaining grant to families identified as in need using the Council Tax Support  (CTS) scheme entitlement criteria;

                    iii.        Approved the continuation of the existing scheme for anyone not on CTS but requires help with food and bills (paragraph 18 of the report).

Reason:     To ensure government funding is utilised in the fairest and most direct way to support as many families as possible affected by the financial impacts of the Covid19 Pandemic.