Councillor Phil Davies referred to Minute No. 10 of the meeting of the Transformation and Resources Policy and Performance Committee held on 16 September, 2014 where consideration had been given to its Work Programme and the following resolution in respect of the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme had been passed which contained a recommendation for the Cabinet:

‘Resolved –

(1)  (9:1) (3 abstentions)

  That this Committee recognises that given Central Government has cut the money for the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme it is necessary to review how it can continue, and Committee recommends that Cabinet ensures that this money is spent to deliver for those people that the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme was initially established. A suggestion of how this might be achieved is a Task and Finish group.

(2)  That the items for the Transformation and Resources Policy and Performance Committee work programme for 2014/15 as shown in Appendix 1 to the report, together with those suggestions made by the Chair and Members be agreed.

(3)  That Committee approves the proposal for Spotlight Sessions to be provided as the need is identified by Members.’

Councillor Phil Davies informed the Cabinet that he considered it to be absolutely outrageous that the Government was cutting the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme which helped the most vulnerable people in society, those who were in dire need.  He reported that the Council had approximately £600,000 set aside to help.  A national consultation was underway on this and he considered it imperative that the Cabinet sent a clear message that it condemned the Government for making these cuts.  He also proposed that the Council await the outcome of the consultation exercise before deciding how to allocate the funds still available within its budget.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the Cabinet condemned the Government for cutting the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme; and

(2)  the outcome of the Government’s current consultation exercise be awaited before decisions are made on the allocation of the funding available in the Council’s budget.