Agenda item

RESOLVED:

1.1.          To agree to accept the UK Government allocation of £6,027,379 Household Support Fund (HSF) extension for Croydon for the period 1 April 2023 – March 2024, and make the necessary budget provisions.

1.2.          To consider and agree the proposed allocation and administration of the HSF as defined in the HSF Allocation Proposal (Appendix 1 to this report)

1.3.          To note the requirement for and to delegate authority to Cllr Lynne Hale Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes and Jane West Corporate Director of Resources to sign off the delivery plan for submission to the DWP by 2 June 2023, and for Jane West Corporate Director of Resources and S.151 Officer to sign off the periodic Management Information (MI) reports for DWP thereafter.

1.4.          To delegate authority to allow for the flexibility of repurposing funds to Jane West Corporate Director of Resources and S.151 Officer in consultation with DWP.

1.5.          To agree the proposal for officers to update the Executive Mayor and Cllr Lynne Hale Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes on progress on the delivery of the fund in November 2023.

The Executive Mayor considered the Household Support Fund April 2023 – March 2023 Allocation Proposal report.

The Executive Mayor informed that earlier this year Croydon secured an additional £6 million pounds from the Government through the extension of the Household Support Fund. This extension ensured that the Council could help thousands more vulnerable households to cope with increased cost of food and energy bills.

The report outlined the Council’s proposals to distribute the Household Support Fund and so working closely with schools, health and wellbeing practitioners as well as voluntary and community sector organisations. Over the next 12 months the Council aimed to deliver targeted funding to those most in need, ensuring it reached the maximum number of people possible.

The Executive Mayor added that using a targeted approach, the Council aimed to reach residents who may have missed out on other cost of living support and had not previously been helped through the Housing Support Fund. The scheme would be reviewed at the six month point to ensure the council continued to meet the needs of residents.

The Statutory Deputy Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes, Councillor Hale informed Cabinet that the service proposed to stagger the payments of the housing funds back to ensure sufficient funds were reserved for the colder months and the duration of the scheme.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Homes, Councillor Reshekaron queried on the cost of living challenges that many residents were facing and queried the approach the council would take if actual demands required for all funding used before the winter arrived.

in response, the Corporate Director of Housing, Susmita Sen informed that the budget had monitored its spending year on year, and the service had reviewed the areas that were underspent, areas on demand and on excessive demand, and this was repurposed with the authority delegated Section 151 officer if required. The service was conscious that the budget was still available during the winter months.

The Executive Mayor added that the voluntary and community sector often worked with the community that the council were unable to reach, and this was the first time the council was working through the process to deliver support with the voluntary sector.

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.1.         To agree to accept the UK Government allocation of £6,027,379 Household Support Fund (HSF) extension for Croydon for the period 1 April 2023 – March 2024, and make the necessary budget provisions.

1.2.         To consider and agree the proposed allocation and administration of the HSF as defined in the HSF Allocation Proposal (Appendix 1 to this report)

1.3.         To note the requirement for and to delegate authority to Cllr Lynne Hale Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes and Jane West Corporate Director of Resources to sign off the delivery plan for submission to the DWP by 2 June 2023, and for Jane West Corporate Director of Resources and S.151 Officer to sign off the periodic Management Information (MI) reports for DWP thereafter.

1.4.         To delegate authority to allow for the flexibility of repurposing funds to Jane West Corporate Director of Resources and S.151 Officer in consultation with DWP.

1.5.         To agree the proposal for officers to update the Executive Mayor and Cllr Lynne Hale Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes on progress on the delivery of the fund in November 2023