Decision details

Winter Grant Funding Allocation

Decision Maker: Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Reform and Regeneration

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

The purpose of the report is to request Cabinet Member approval to allocate the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) £974,689 Winter Grant funding for Oldham to offer support to residents with food, fuel and other essential costs during the winter. The report sets out the proposed allocation of funding. Most of the recipients of the funding will be families with children

Decision:

RESOLVED - That: the DWP Winter Grant resources are used to fund:
•a supermarket food voucher programme for families with children who are entitled to Free School Meals and to widen this support to families on low incomes with pre-school children and to care leavers over the Christmas 2020 and February 2021 half term holidays
•additional support for the Warm Homes programme to augment the provision of fuel vouchers to residents with pre-payment meters and support with boiler repairs
•support for other vulnerable residents with supermarket food vouchers over winter ( to be determined in January 2021.

Reasons for the decision:

Option 1: To use the Winter Grant to fund:
•a supermarket food voucher programme for families with children who are entitled to Free School Meals and to widen this support to families on low incomes with pre-school children and to care leavers over the Christmas 2020 and February 2021 half term holidays
•additional support for the Warm Homes programme to augment the provision of fuel vouchers to residents with pre-payment meters and support with boiler repairs
•support for other vulnerable residents with supermarket food vouchers over the winter
Option 2: Not to utilise the funding to provide support to vulnerable households in this way. This would mean that funding would need to be returned to the DWP. This scheme has a high political profile and is consistent with the Council’s anti-poverty agenda so this option would not be supported by elected members

Alternative options considered:

Option 2: Not to utilise the funding to provide support to vulnerable households in this way. This would mean that funding would need to be returned to the DWP. This scheme has a high political profile and is consistent with the Council’s anti-poverty agenda so this option would not be supported by elected members

Other reasons / organisations consulted

N/A

Contact: Caroline Lee, Head of Revenues, Benefits and Business Support Email: Caroline.Lee@Oldham.gov.uk Email: caroline.lee'oldham.gov.uk@oldham.gov.uk.

Publication date: 31/03/2021

Date of decision: 07/12/2020

Accompanying Documents: