Agenda item

To consider a report setting out the proposed approach for the operation of the Poverty Intervention Fund which was included in the Council’s budget for 2020/21. The overall aim of the Fund is to enable support to families and individuals to alleviate the impacts of living in poverty.

Cabinet received a report detailing the proposed approach for the operation of the Poverty Intervention Fund which was included in the Authority’s budget for 2020/21.

The overall aim of the Fund was to enable support to families and individuals to alleviate the impacts of living in poverty.

The report outlined the current poverty situation within North Tyneside and how Covid-19 had impacted on poverty in the Borough.

The Authority was tackling the causes of poverty in a variety of ways.  This had included through working as part of the North of Tyne Combined Authority to improve economic growth; attract inward investment to create jobs; support businesses to grow and create new opportunities; enable people to gain skills; and improve education outcomes. In addition, the Authority had targeted support for businesses; families in need and via its Skills Strategy. The Tackling Deprivation work within the most deprived wards had also had success in addressing the underlying causes of poverty.

In relation to issues caused by the welfare benefit system, the Authority’s Welfare Reform Task Group had successfully addressed matters such as benefit sanctions and improving digital skills. The Authority provided financial support through the provision of benefits to support people on low incomes; welfare assistance scheme to help people with food (via the Food Bank) and other essentials.

The Authority also addressed the health impacts of poverty through Public Health funding supported initiatives including through Active North Tyneside; mental health and well-being.

The overarching policy aim for the Poverty Intervention Fund was ‘’to help to alleviate the impacts of poverty on families and individuals across North Tyneside with particular emphasis on children, by providing support to those who need it.”

In order to deliver that policy aim, the Fund would have the following lower level policy objectives:

•           to address the financial impacts of poverty by targeting support to areas where people were struggling to make ends meet to be able to afford the basics or where they were having to go without certain things which others took for granted;

•           to address the social impacts of poverty by targeting support so that people could play a full role in society and for activities which would have a positive impact; and

•           to address the health impacts of poverty by targeting support on relevant areas such as risk-taking behaviour and mental health and well-being.

The delivery approach with the Fund would be guided by the following principles:

•           evidence based – to ensure both that the Fund was targeted to meet need and was based on proven best practice/research;

•           inclusive – the Authority would engage externally and internally to inform the approach;

•           fair – the Authority would conduct an Equality Impact Assessment to ensure that the approach provided opportunities for the widest possible reach and that no-one was disadvantaged;

•           targeted – the Fund would be used to meet the greatest levels of evidenced need in the Borough;

•           funding may be allocated to groups or organisations via a mix of grant funding and commission-based approaches;

•           collaborative – working in partnership to deliver the best outcomes to meet need;

•           creative and flexible – to respond to changing need (particularly key in the Covid-19 situation); and

•           measured – outcomes would be monitored, measured and evaluated.

The delivery of the Fund would be overseen by a Steering Group comprised of one elected member per ward (with appropriate arrangements for mixed wards) and to include the Young Mayor/Cabinet Member with representation from relevant external organisations.  The Steering Group would meet at least quarterly; and a Delivery Group chaired by the Deputy Mayor to include relevant Cabinet Members to meet on a monthly basis to have oversight of the detailed operation of the Fund.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendation as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendation on the proposed approach to operate the Poverty Intervention Fund.

Resolved that approval be given to (1) the policy aims and objectives for the Poverty Intervention Fund;

(2)        the delivery approach which will be followed to operate the Fund; and

(3)        the governance arrangements which will be put in place to oversee and deliver the Fund.

(Reason for decision: to allow the Poverty Intervention Fund to be established from July 2020.)