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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Decision Session - Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion (in consultation with the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education (for agenda item 4 Welfare Benefits and Financial Inclusion Outturn Report 2023/24) |
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Date |
19 September 2024 |
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Present |
Councillors Lomas Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion) and Webb (Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education) |
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Officers in Attendance |
David Walker – Head of Customer and Exchequer Services Susan Wood – Welfare Benefits and Strategic Partnership Manager Tim Bradley – Asset Manager, Property Services
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25. Declarations of Interest (10:00)
The Executive Members were asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have had in respect of business on the agenda. None were declared.
26. Minutes (10:00)
Resolved: That the minutes of the Decision Session of the Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, and Equalities held on 25 April 2024 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.
27. Public Participation (10:00)
It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
28. Welfare Benefits and Financial Inclusion Outturn Report 2023/24 (10:01)
The Executive Members considered a report that detailed 2023/24 Financial Inclusion/Welfare Benefits outturn. The Director of Housing and Communities outlined the report. The Head of Customer and Exchequer Services explained the support available to residents. The Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education thanked all staff doing working in communities and schools. He noted that the current scheme for holiday food was designed to last until Christmas and questioned what would happen next. The Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion thanked those involved for their work, especially over the last year adding that it that people still could not afford basics of heating and eating at present.
The Welfare Benefits Manager noted that it had been identified that circa 470 pensioners missing out on pension credit through the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) software. 150 of these had been contacted through application for ASC and the welfare team had to the other 320.
It was estimated that around another 1200 households in the city could be eligible to claim pension credit but that we could not identify them as only DWP held this data. The Head of Customer and Exchequer Services noted that many pensioners had lost their winter fuel allowance and the council was trying to identify people through the Department for Work and Pensions data. Once those numbers were known, the council would look to allocate money from the Household Support Fund and fuel vouchers. Following consideration of the report, the Executive Members then;
Resolved: That;
1. The details of the report with regard to providing support to residents during the ongoing cost of living crisis is noted.
2. The capping of the monthly spend from YFAS and reduction in individual awards to ensure the council can continue to provide emergency support to the end of the 2024/25 financial year is noted.
3. Any decision-making relating to any extended or new Household Support Fund requirements is delegated to the Director of Finance.
Reason: To ensure councillors, residents and stakeholder groups are aware of the ongoing financial inclusion activity across the city. The use of associated funding including cost of living support and their impacts.
29. Application for Community Right to Bid under the Localism Act 2011 (10:21)
The Executive Member considered a report detailing applications to renew the listing of the following properties as Assets of Community Value (ACV) for the Golden Ball Public House, the Blue Bell Public House and Hurst Hall Community Centre, Border Road, Strensall Camp. The Asset Manager detailed the report noting that no objections had been received. The Executive Member then;
Resolved: That approval be given to the renewal of the listing of:
(i) The Golden Ball, 2 Cromwell Road, York;
(ii) The Blue Bell Public House, 53 Fossgate, York; and
(iii) Hurst Hall Community Centre, Border Road, Strensall Camp, York.
as Assets of Community Value (ACV) for the reasons outlined within the report.
Reason: To ensure the Council meets its legislative obligations (pursuant to the Localism Act 2011 and the Assets of Community Value (England) Regulations 2012) and promotes community access to community facilities.
Cllr Lomas, Chair
[The meeting started at 10.00 am and finished at 10.24 am].