Issue - meetings

At Full Council on 20 July 2017, a council motion as amended was approved as follows:

‘Council resolves:

To request the relevant director to urgently produce an assessment for presentation to the relevant Executive Member Decision Session.  This assessment should set out practical measures that the council and its partners could quickly put in place to mitigate the risk of residents being adversely affected by the introduction of UCFS’.

This report responds to the council motion and the progress the council has made in respect of the further detailed points within the motion, with a focus on options and recommendations to further support Citizens Advice York (CAY) and/or the advice sector around Universal Credit Full Service (UCFS) advice/information.

Resolved:

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health (in consultation with the Executive Leader, Finance and Performance)

(i)   notes the information provided and progress made in relation to Housing Services and York Financial Assistance Scheme (YFAS) in response to the related aspects of the Council motion;

(ii)  agrees to pay a one off sum of £12k to restore the drop in sessions to the end of March 2018 as detailed in the Citizen’s Advice York’s (CAY) proposal, as outlined in Option 2 of paragraph 28 of the report.

(iii) agrees that CAY’s longer term requirements be reviewed as part of the next three year SLA negotiations (2018/21).

Reason:

To fully respond to the requirements as outlined in the related Council motion as amended on 20^th July 2017.

The Executive Members considered a report which provided a response to a council motion which was presented and agreed at full Council as amended on 20 July which requested that the relevant director urgently produced an assessment for presentation to the relevant Executive Member Decision Session which set out practical measures that the council and its partners could quickly put in place to mitigate the risk of residents being adversely affected by the introduction of Universal Credit Full Service (UCFS)

The report provided a response to the council motion and the progress the council had made in respect of the further detailed points within the motion, with a focus on options and recommendations to further support Citizens Advice York (CAY) and/or the advice sector around UCFS advice/information. It also took into account a detailed submission which had been received from CAY with regard to funding.

The Executive Members considered the following options:

Option 1 – do nothing at the present time

Option 2 – agreed to fund £12k to restore the two drop in sessions in 2017-18

Option 3 – agree to fund a greater amount.

The Assistant Director, Customer and Digital Service and the council’s Head of Housing attended the meeting to present the report and they responded to queries raised by the Executive Members.

Members were advised that there had been clear support from limited consultation to increase the number of CAY drop in sessions and for closer partnership working.

Members acknowledged that the current 3 year SLA was due to end and negotiations would start soon to review the SLA. They were advised that CAY had undertaken work over the last 6 months to examine the operation of the service and costs and that they had also given a commitment to explore new sources of funding. It was agreed that full engagement was needed between the council and CAY with regard to any future changes to the service.

Both Members agreed that in a time of financial constraints, the recommendation provided a generous compromise and expressed pleasure that the council and CAY were working together to find a way forward as quickly as possible.

Resolved:

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health (in consultation with the Executive Leader, Finance and Performance)

(i)   notes the information provided and progress made in relation to Housing Services and York Financial Assistance Scheme (YFAS) in response to the related aspects of the Council motion;

(ii)  agrees to pay a one off sum of £12k to restore the drop in sessions to the end of March 2018 as detailed in the Citizen’s Advice York’s (CAY) proposal, as outlined in Option 2 of paragraph 28 of the report.

(iii) agrees that CAY’s longer term requirements be reviewed as part of the next three year SLA negotiations (2018/21).

Reason:

To fully respond to the requirements as outlined in the related Council motion as amended on 20^th July 2017.