Agenda and minutes

Cllr T Mitchell filled the vacancy at this meeting.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and personal or personal and prejudicial interests.

No whip was declared.

That the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on  23 September 2020, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the Chairman.

There were no requests received.

Further to Minutes 43 and 48, the Chairman welcomed Jason Whaler, the council’s Head of Council Strategy, Information and Outcomes and Richard Catlyn, the Local Taxation and Benefits Shared Services Manager to the meeting.  Mr Whaler and Mr Catlyn had been invited to the meeting to discuss with the panel the financial support that the council had provided during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Whaler delivered a presentation to the members, assisted by Mr Catlyn.  The presentation covered the support available –

To residents in receipt of Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit and Housing Benefit.

To residents paying Council Tax and those individuals in receipt of Council Tax Support.

To residents facing financial hardship.

Mr Whaler and Mr Catlyn also guided members through two example case studies that detailed the support that was available to individuals.

Following the conclusion of the comprehensive presentation, the Chairman facilitated a discussion on the financial support provided to residents by the council during the pandemic.

The Panel also discussed the free school meals campaign that was initiated by Marcus Rashford MBE, and how the council had responded to the initiative.

Resolved – (a) That the presentation be received with thanks; (b) that the council’s Head of Council Strategy, Information and Outcomes and Local Taxation and Benefits Shared Services Manager be thanked for their attendance, presentation and for answering members’ questions, and (c) that the Panel acknowledged and congratulated Marcus Rashford MBE on his campaign to challenge and highlight the issue of child hunger in the United Kingdom.

There was no added item for consideration at the meeting.

There was no added item for consideration at this meeting.