Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a report of the Corporate Director of Resources which provided an update on:

(a) The most recent welfare, economic and poverty indicators for the county;

(b) Core expenditure (funded by both central government and from council budgets) which specifically supports poverty related activities and enables support to be delivered to vulnerable households by the council and key partners;

(c) Progress of the council and partners in addressing and alleviating poverty, including actions delivered in line with the poverty action plan and the support given in response to the financial impact of the cost-of-living crisis on vulnerable households; and

(d) Priority actions to be progressed during 2024/25, as previously approved by Cabinet, which continue to reflect changes in the current poverty landscape, intelligence / learning over the last year and build on successful delivery to date (for copy of report see file of minutes).

Councillor A Shield, thanked the Corporate Director and his team, the Head of Transactional and Customer Services and the Assessment and Awards Manager for all of their hard work. Councillor Shield also acknowledged the work of the Poverty Action Steering Group and the OSC committee for their contributions. Councillor Shield explained that poverty was a multi-faceted issue and tackling such a complex problem needed a multi-faceted approach. Councillor Shield explained that the updated statistics contained in the report made for unpleasant reading. He highlighted that there was a strong safety net in place in County Durham, as strong as anywhere else and the Council and its partners could be proud of the support provided but accepted that this support on its own was simply not enough. Councillor Shield explained the major concerns over the future of the Household Support Fund. He had made several pleas to ministers regarding the level of uncertainty so close to the next financial year and was staggered that no announcements had been made. Now was not the time to withdraw support.

Resolved:

That the Annual Report be noted.