To consider a report on the above.

The Council considered the new social fund responsibilities as part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.  It was noted the Act abolishes the current system of discretionary payments from the Social Fund and from April 2013, the support provided to households via Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans for Living Expenses will cease.  Local Authorities would receive financial support to enable them to develop and implement ‘successor models’.  The submitted report set out a replacement scheme that had been developed to provide welfare assistance for those most in need.

It was proposed by Councillor Tyerman and seconded by Councillor Hernandez:

(i)            that the transfer of the additional responsibilities to deliver the replacement Social Fund scheme to the Revenues and Benefits service, resulting in; saving administrative costs due to the pooling of resources, consistency in the assessment procedure and a more responsive, integrated service be approved; and

(ii)           that the Executive Head for Finance will, in consultation with the Mayor and the Executive Lead for Finance agree the final scheme in January 2013, thus providing a three month period to allow the new service to become properly established prior to the new arrangements coming into force.

On being put the vote, the motion was declared carried (unanimous).