Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report from the Head of Business Processes, providing an update on areas of change within the Government Welfare Reform agenda, the impact on the residents of Wirral and how Council services were responding. 

Councillor P Davies and Members of the Cabinet commented that this was yet another example of the Government cuts which affected the most vulnerable in society, concerns were raised about the further impact Universal Credit would have on those already struggling with financial hardship.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  The report be noted and that further reports be given on Welfare Reform;

(2)  the £70,000 transfer to the Discretionary Housing Payment fund for 2014/15 to help address the rent shortfalls that continue to be identified and require support be approved; and

(3)  it be noted that this Cabinet condemns the Government’s decision to withdraw the funding for Discretionary Housing Payment fund and asks that our representative MP’s put pressure on the Government to revise their decision on the damaging cuts affecting the most vulnerable people in Wirral .