Agenda item

(Finance & Economic Development Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-080-2009/10)

(1)        That the significant impact of the recession on the number of cases dealt with by Epping Forest’s Citizen’s Advice Bureaux (CAB) and the CAB’s excellent response to the increased workload be recognised and, in giving its support, the Council continues to work alongside the CAB as it seeks additional resources, be they finance, staff, volunteers or premises, to ease the effects of that additional workload;

(2)        That an interest in volunteering and voluntary work be fostered by the Council through:

(a)        encouraging employees to become volunteers in their spare time (e.g. as part of the induction programme);

(b)        publicity in The Forester magazine; and

(c)        encouraging other major employers in the District to promote the benefits of voluntary work;

(3)        That voluntary work also be promoted through the use of information available at suitable locations, including Council Offices and Job Centre Plus;

(4)        That the need for more spacious facilities, which also provide greater confidentiality, for interviewing benefits claimants be addressed as a matter of urgency through the Customer Transformation Programme or another Civic Offices work programme;

(5)        That the vital role being carried out by Credit Unions during the current economic recession be recognised and supported by the Council;

(6)        That the work being carried out by Essex Savers in the District also be supported by the Council and, in giving encouragement to the extension of its operation to the more outlying rural areas, be assisted by publicising the role of Essex Savers internally and through other major employers in the District; and

(7)        That the Local Strategic Partnership be congratulated on its successful bid to the Future Job Fund for the creation of jobs within the District.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance & Economic Development presented a report on the provision of debt and money advice.

The Portfolio Holder declared that following the adoption of a motion at Council on 16 December 2008, and subsequent discussion at Overview and Scrutiny on 29 January 2009, a Scrutiny Sub-Committee was set up to: review current debt and money advice provision; review the support the District Council offered the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and whether this support should be extended; and incorporate the outcome of the review into the budget process. The Sub-Committee submitted its report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 12 November 2009, which supported the recommendations contained therein.

The Portfolio Holder advised that the number of enquiries dealt with by the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux (CAB) within the District had quadrupled since the beginning of the recession, with the vast majority of enquiries concerning debt, benefits, employment or housing. The Cabinet wished to formally recognise the excellent work being undertaken by the CAB and reiterated its desire to assist the CAB in its search for additional resources to ease the workload. It was also felt that the Council should encourage people to become involved in voluntary work, including its own employees (although they would still be subject to the Staff Code of Conduct), through the Forester magazine and the Council’s information offices.

The Portfolio Holder reported that the number of claims for Council Tax and Housing Benefit had also increased during the recession, and there was an urgent need for improved facilities where Benefits Officers could interview claimants confidentially. It was agreed that this problem would be addressed as a matter of urgency. Credit Unions were non-profit organisations which encouraged individuals to save, and borrow only what they could afford to repay. Across Essex, membership of Credit Unions had grown by 25% in 2008 and was continuing to rise. There were a number of Credit Unions within the county, including Essex Savers which had opened its Epping branch last September. The Cabinet recognised the important role being played by Credit Unions during the recession, and undertook to promote Essex Savers within the District, particularly in the more outlying rural areas.

Finally, the Cabinet was pleased to hear that the West Essex Partnership had been allocated £1.1million from the Future Jobs Fund, and that the District’s share of this funding would lead to 28 new job placements for long-term unemployed young people. The Cabinet was urged to encourage new employees to join a Credit Union, as other Councils did, and also to monitor carefully the effects of the freeze upon the grant given to the CAB by the Council.

Decision:

(1)        That the significant impact of the recession on the number of cases dealt with by Epping Forest’s Citizen’s Advice Bureaux (CAB) and the CAB’s excellent response to the increased workload be recognised and, in giving its support, the Council continues to work alongside the CAB as it seeks additional resources, be they finance, staff, volunteers or premises, to ease the effects of that additional workload;

(2)        That an interest in volunteering and voluntary work be fostered by the Council through:

(a)        encouraging employees to become volunteers in their spare time (e.g. as part of the induction programme);

(b)        publicity in The Forester magazine; and

(c)        encouraging other major employers in the District to promote the benefits of voluntary work;

(3)        That voluntary work also be promoted through the use of information available at suitable locations, including Council Offices and Job Centre Plus;

(4)        That the need for more spacious facilities, which also provide greater confidentiality, for interviewing benefits claimants be addressed as a matter of urgency through the Customer Transformation Programme or another Civic Offices work programme;

(5)        That the vital role being carried out by Credit Unions during the current economic recession be recognised and supported by the Council;

(6)        That the work being carried out by Essex Savers in the District also be supported by the Council and, in giving encouragement to the extension of its operation to the more outlying rural areas, be assisted by publicising the role of Essex Savers internally and through other major employers in the District; and

(7)        That the Local Strategic Partnership be congratulated on its successful bid to the Future Job Fund for the creation of jobs within the District.

Reasons for Decision:

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee had recommended a number of measures, including the level of support to be provided by the District Council to the CAB as it sought additional resources to ease the burden of a greatly expanded caseload, the significant roles being played by the voluntary sector and credit unions during the current recession, and the creation of jobs in the District.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To reject all or support only some of the recommendations put forward.  However, a clear indication of the vital work being carried out by many of the agencies in the public and voluntary sectors had been demonstrated. Also, not supporting the recommendations would not build on the work carried out by the District Council to date, and could compound the severity of problems in the future.