Issue - meetings

This report is brought to the Executive Members to seek approval for a four year funding agreement to March 2024 with Citizens Advice York (CAY) as set out in Annex B to the report.

Resolved: That the Citizen’s Advice York Service Level Agreement (as set out at Annex B to the report be approved), including the following:

(a)  the 4 year period of funding;

(b)  the financial decision to reflect:

(i)   the increase in funding to cover a contribution towards the staffing costs associated with providing a debt advice service, which is additional to the core service provided; and

(ii) the absorption by CYC of future accommodation charge increases.

Reasons:

1)   To demonstrate the delivery of expected outputs of and accountability for public expenditure.

2)   To meet Council priorities around financial inclusion activities.

The Executive Members considered a report that sought their approval for a four year funding agreement to March 2024 with Citizens Advice York (CAY) as set out in Annex B to the report.

The Assistant Director, Customer and Digital Services outlined the background to existing period of funding and proposed funding agreement, which included financial inclusion funding. She highlighted an error in the SLA paragraph 4 of Citizen’s Advice York Service Level Agreement (SLA) Annex B at page 18 of the agenda pack noting that debt was covered by core services and there words ‘particularly debt’ should be removed from that paragraph.

In response to a question regarding Appendix 2 of the SLA regarding the Statistical information to be provided to City of York Council by CAY on a quarterly basis, the Assistant Director, Customer and Digital Services noted that the profile of clients were based on strands that had financial inclusion aspects and she noted that sexual orientation could be added to this if it was felt necessary.

The Executive Members welcomed the Service Level Agreement and it was:

Resolved: That the Citizen’s Advice York Service Level Agreement (as set out at Annex B to the report be approved), including the following:

(a)  the 4 year period of funding;

(b)  the financial decision to reflect:

(i)   the increase in funding to cover a contribution towards the staffing costs associated with providing a debt advice service, which is additional to the core service provided; and

(ii) the absorption by CYC of future accommodation charge increases.

Reasons:

1)   To demonstrate the delivery of expected outputs of and accountability for public expenditure.

2)   To meet Council priorities around financial inclusion activities.