Decision - Cost of Living Response Including the Household Support Fund 2022

RESOLVED: That the Committee –

(i)             Notes thd content of the report, and the mitigations set out in Appendices 1 to 4;

(ii)            Noted the £0.200m expected to be set aside from the council’s 2021/22 outturn to mitigate some of the cost of living impacts (to be considered at the July Policy & Resources Committee following closure of the 2021/22 accounts);

(iii)          Approved the re-allocation of £0.231m from the provisional Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) underspend, as set out in Appendix 5, to provide match funding for the Household Support Fund to enable a full provision of Free School Meal vouchers at the previous voucher value and to bolster the element of the Household Support Fund provided for support to other households;

(iv)          Approved the proposed allocation of the 2022/23 Household Support Fund set out in Appendix 5, noting the associated Equality Impact Assessment at Appendix 6, and delegates necessary adjustments to the approved allocations to the Chief Finance Officer following consultation with the Chair of Policy & Resources Committee and Opposition Spokespersons, provided any adjustment is compliant with the council’s rules for virement as defined under Financial Regulations;

(v)           Noted that Housing Committee will be considering progress and priorities for both the Warmer Homes and retrofitting programmes at the June meeting, including consideration of how these initiatives will contribute to improving the energy efficiency of homes and mitigating the impacts of fuel poverty to respond to both the cost of living crisis as well as meeting the council’s carbon reduction commitments;

(vi)          Agreed that the City Council will promote the package of new support for residents under a new section of the council's website called "Worried about money", which will provide one place where residents can access links to information and support;

(vii)         Agreed that the city council supports co-establishing a new 'Brighton & Hove Cost of Living Support Fund’ with CVS partners to run an appeal aimed at helping some of the city's most marginalised residents which will see donations support the work of the Citizen's Advice Bureau and the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership;

(viii)       Agreed that the City Council should work with:

(1) Greater Brighton Economic Board (GBEB) partners to lobby government ministers on the cost of living impact, and;

(2) the city's MP’s to lobby government for sustainable funding for the City.