Agenda item

To consider a report seeking approval of the proposed approach for the delivery of the Poverty Intervention Fund included in the Authority’s Budget for 2020/21 to enable support of families and individual’s to alleviate the impacts of living in poverty.

Cabinet received a report on the proposed approach for the delivery of the Poverty Intervention Fund which was included in the Authority’s Budget for 2020/21. As previously agreed by Cabinet on 29 June 2020, the overall aim of the Fund was to enable support to families and individuals to alleviate the impacts of living in poverty.

An assessment of evidence of how poverty impacted across North Tyneside, including the outcome of engagement with individual Cabinet Members and key external stakeholders, had been presented to the cross-party Steering Group in July 2020. Based on this evidence, the Steering Group had considered which key groups to target with the fund and what the impacts of poverty were on those groups.

The Steering Group had been presented with evidence on the impacts of poverty in North Tyneside as follows:

• children – key impacts being their experience at school and on their mental health

• older people – key impacts being not taking up full benefit entitlement and social isolation/loneliness

• families with children – key impacts being not being able to afford essentials such as school uniform and food during school holidays and domestic violence or abuse

The Steering Group supported the proposed priority groups to be targeted through initiatives supported by the Fund. Based on the evidence-based discussion at the Steering Group it was proposed that the fund would be delivered in a phased approach, with the first phase focusing on four priorities:

• for children – focusing on the key impact which living in poverty had in relation to their experience at school (there were currently 5,641 children in North Tyneside who were entitled to free school meals due to low income)

• for older people – focusing on the key impact of not taking up full benefit entitlement

• for families with children – focusing on the key impact of not being able to afford the essentials of clothing for school and food during school holidays (where they did not have access to free school meals)

It was also a priority for the Steering Group that these initiatives wherever possible be delivered in partnership with or by local organisations in particular from within the community and voluntary sector.

The following specific initiatives were proposed to be funded through the Poverty Intervention Fund to address the key impact of poverty on the priority groups for North Tyneside, further details of which were set out in the report:

·         Poverty proofing the school day (initial allocation £172,755)

·         Benefits take-up campaign and support (initial allocation £100,000)

·         School appropriate clothing (initial allocation £253,845 based on current numbers of children on free school meals)

·         Holiday food (initial allocation £200,000)

The Elected Mayor, Cabinet Members, the Young Mayor and partners welcomed the report and the opportunity the proposals presented to make a real difference to the day to day lives of those who needed support the most, particularly at the present time as the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic continued in the Borough.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to agree the proposed approach to operate the Poverty Intervention Fund including proposed priorities and initiatives as set out in paragraphs 1.6.1 to 1.6.2 of the report or alternatively not to agree the proposed approach to operate the Poverty Intervention Fund.

Resolved that (1) the proposed priorities and initiatives for the Poverty Intervention Fund, as set out in the report, be approved; and

(2) the Head of Corporate Strategy and Customer Service, in consultation with the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, be authorised to take all other steps necessary to implement these proposals.

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