Agenda item

The Chair welcomed Rose Doran, Senior Adviser in the Children, Welfare, Equality and Democracy (CWED) officer team, and invited Esther Barrott, Adviser, to introduce the report.

Esther introduced the report which provided an overview of the LGA’s current work on support for low-income households, led by Rose and the Resources Board.

Rose set out the following points:

• Background information which related to the Resources Board and policy join-up.
• Council finances being impacted by the rising cost of living was being considered.
• Work in relation to addressing the rising cost of living had increased significantly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and continued to increase post-pandemic.
• The need for a positive narrative was emphasised, as well as highlighting the challenges and the need for a properly resourced welfare system to ensure a sustainable approach to having greater resilience within communities.
• The need to better protect communities in the future was emphasised and would be a key theme at the LGA annual conference 2022.
• A workshop had been set up which focused on council’s engagement with service users in relation to anti-poverty.
• At a recent Resources Board meeting, it was suggested that a steering group be set up to discuss the role of councils in addressing the rising cost of living. Input would be required from a representative from each Board.
• The steering group would deliver action learning and bring together key focuses and specific issues.

Board Members commented on the issues that the rising cost of living had brought, including:

• The need for well-targeted government support schemes.
• The need to retrofit properties to reduce bills and create green employment opportunities.
• Ever-increasing council tax bills.
• Health inequalities.
• The need for local authorities to have access to the resources necessary to allow them to take ownership of local issues and support residents.
• Fuel poverty.

Rose noted all of the points raised by Board Members and confirmed that she’d continue to link in with Board Members and other Boards in relation to the rising cost of living issues.

The Chair encouraged all Board Members to send summaries to Rose related to the work which continued to take place within each local authority in addressing issues related to the cost-of-living crisis.

Cllr Ford to represent the City Regions Board on the LGA’s cost of living steering group.

Decision:

·       Board Members noted the report.

Action:

• Officers to contact Board Members once there were opportunities to lead on other workstreams.