Issue - meetings

(Assistant Director - Housing Operations ) To consider the attached report (FPM-021-2016/17).

The Assistant Director (Housing Operations), R Wilson, presented a report regarding the extension of funding for 2 Epping Forest Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Debt Advisors for a further year from 1 April 2017.

The Cabinet Committee had previously agreed to fund the CAB’s two Debt Advisors for a further year in 2016/17 subject to the CAB Manager attending an appropriate meeting to explain the use and outcomes of the Council’s grant funding. Accordingly, the CAB Manager had recently attended the Communities Select Committee on 17 January 2017 and advised that CAB now had offices in the library in Loughton, a newly refurbished office in Epping, a new online system and were looking to provide outreach services in Ongar and at Norway House, North Weald. She had also said that she expected that reductions in the overall national Welfare Budget would increase the need for continued support around personal budgeting and debt advice.

The Chairman of the Communities Select Committee, Councillor Y Knight attended the Cabinet Committee meeting advised and that the Select Committee had fully supported the recommendation to extend the two posts for a further year. She advised that the CAB’s presentation would be made available to all Members by email, which provided detailed information on the use and outcomes of the service throughout the District and that the CAB had agreed to make a further presentation to the Select Committee on the use of the funding in twelve months’ time.

The Cabinet Committee were in agreement that the CAB provided a valuable service that could prevent rent arrears and homelessness issues for the District’s residents.

Recommended:

1)         That funding for the Citizens Advice Bureau’s two existing Debt Advisors be recommended to Cabinet for approval from 1 April 2017 for a year and funded as follows:

(a) £37,800 from the Housing Revenue Account; and

(b) £4,200 from the General Fund District Development Fund; and

Resolved:

2)         That the CAB makes a presentation to the Communities Select Committee about the use and outcomes from the funding in 12 months’ time.

Reasons for Decision:

To agree to extend the funding of the CAB’s two existing Debt Advisors for a further year from 1 April 2017, in order to provide support to residents with personal budgeting and debt advice.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

1.         Not to agree to extend the funding of the CAB’s two existing Debt Advisors for a further year from 1 April 2017.

2.         To only extend the funding for one CAB Debt Advisor.

3.         To provide funding for more than two CAB Debt Advisors.