Issue - meetings

Approval of Financial Inclusion Innovation Fund Awards

Meeting: 16/03/2020 - Decision Session - Executive Member for Finance and Major Projects (Item 13)

13 Approval of Financial Inclusion Innovation Fund Awards PDF 333 KB

This report seeks approval of the recommended award of £100,000 of grants to fund six projects to deliver financial inclusion activities in the city. The approval of the grants for the schemes comes following a round of competitive bids and a selection panel process.

Decision:

Resolved: That approval be given to the award of £100,000 of grants to fund the following six projects to deliver financial inclusion activities in the city:

1. 5,500 to the Older Citizens Advocacy York (OCAY) Benefits Advocacy project to provide advocacy support to help with applications, assessments and appeals

2. £13,000* to the Citizens’ Advice York Financial Inclusion at GP surgeries project to continue to develop co-ordinated advice work located in GP practices

3. £30,026 to Citizens’ Advice York Advice, Information & Budgeting in community settings project to continue to provide and develop community settings for advice

4. £23,426 to the Peasholme Charity My Money, My Life project to continue delivery if its financial capability pathway service

5. £12,898 to the Welfare Benefits Unit Universal Credit Focus project to continue to provide second tier in depth support to advisers

6. £15,150* Changing Lives Financial & Social Inclusion Worker project to support vulnerable and hard to reach residents to gain financial independence.

* Note: two bids were partially funded

Reason: To ensure that funds set aside to support the delivery of financial inclusion activity are allocated appropriately.

Minutes:

The Executive Member considered a report that sought approval of the recommended award of £100,000 of grants to fund six projects to deliver financial inclusion activities in the city. The approval of the grants for the schemes followed a round of competitive bids and a selection panel process.

The Assistant Director Customer and Digital Services and the Strategic Manager Corporate Strategy and City Partnerships were in attendance to present the report. The Assistant Director Customer and Digital gave an overview of the report.

In response to questions raised by the Executive Member and Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities, Officers confirmed that:

· The themes outlined in paragraphs 3 – 6 of the report would be included as an addendum to future reports

· In relation to the award of 50% funding for two bids, feedback on the outcome of the bids would be communicated to all bidders.

· The council was waiting for further information on the £10million fund to help people in receipt of universal credit to move away from it. This could be explored with York CVS and discussions with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on this were already taking place.

· In order to continue to get the level of innovation, there was the challenge long term in terms of the mainstreaming of CAY funding. There would be a review on the outcomes of the exercise and the council would like to work with more partners.

The Executive Member then;