The Leader of the Council is asked to AGREE that the £1.67m Emergency Assistance Grant from DEFRA should be:
1) Used to provide locally-targeted support to individuals and families in need, with sufficient flexibility to respond to emerging and changing need across the county;
2) Allocated as follows:
(a) £200k for distribution via the Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) across Kent, based on agreed criteria
(b) £735k for existing county-wide services such as the Kent Support & Assistance Service
(c) £735k for Kent’s District & Borough Councils, distributed using the same methodology used by DEFRA to allocate the KCC share of the national allocation
And:
3) Authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Finance to, in consultation with the Leader, update, review and amend the VCS and existing county-wide service funding arrangements in response to changing need and the emergency assistance landscape, and to take other necessary actions including but not limited to entering into contracts or other legal agreements, as required to implement this decision.
Reason for the decision:
Background – Provide brief additional context:
The Government has provided this funding because of the number of people whose income has been substantially impacted by the response to COVID-19. Across Kent and Medway, councils have worked closely together, and with the Voluntary Sector and other partners, from the moment the emergency was declared. The Kent Together phone line and online form was established, the Kent Support and Assistance Service expanded, and the District Councils set up community hubs dealing primarily with people who were medically vulnerable and socially isolating, but also picking up individuals and families in financial hardship.
Now that the country is emerging from lock-down, the community hubs are being wound down, but there are still residual pathways that can be used to support those facing financial hardship.
The Government’s guidance on how the money should be used is:
§ use discretion on how to identify and support those most in need
§ use the funding from July onwards to meet immediate need and help those who are struggling to afford food and essentials due to COVID-19
§ use the funding for existing schemes and other support which deliver the same outcomes and where the need is greatest
§ work together with other local authorities to provide support and ensure the funding meets its objectives
§ consider using cash or vouchers where practical - this may reduce pressure on local partners
§ consider advising and providing information to people to help them access longer term support they might need, such as benefits.
KCC thus has some discretion to decide which approach is suitable in the Kent community. Through discussions with partners the following principles for how the money should be spent have been developed:
Overall Objective: to help those who are struggling to afford food and other essentials
Aims:
· ensuring those who most need help receive it, with focus on equality of access, and consistency of approach to assessing eligibility across the county
· providing guidance or advice that supports those seeking help to improve their situation and avoid future dependency
· using this opportunity to improve the system for addressing financial hardship across the county, and preparing for what lies ahead
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Affects more than two Electoral Divisions;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Division affected: (All Division);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 18/08/2020
Decision due: 18 Aug 2020 by Leader of the Council
Reason: Urgent Decision
Lead member: Leader of the Council
Lead director: Zena Cooke
Department: Strategic & Corporate Services
Contact: Debra Exall, Strategic Relationship Adviser Tel: 03000 416074 Email: debra.exall@kent.gov.uk Tel: 01622 696115.
Consultees
Has any public consultation been undertaken or is any planned?
No, but ‘in principle’ discussions have taken place with partners through the Kent Resilience Forum Recovery meetings.
Cabinet Committee consultation planned:
None, this is too urgent.
Which Divisions / Local Members are particularly affected:
This is county-wide
Have views been sought from local Members?
No
Financial implications: There is no direct financial implication for KCC because the vehicles by which the grant will be distributed are already in place. Reasonable administration costs can be charged to the grant.
Legal implications: None
Equalities implications: Covid-19 has impacted differentially on several of the protected characteristics, notably age, ethnicity and pregnancy but also gender. It is therefore our intention to make every effort to ensure that those most in need are aware that help and support is available. We intend to do this by: • targeted communications via faith leaders and community groups which support people from ethnic minorities • an internal comms campaign to ensure that KCC staff who come into contact with individuals and families in need are well briefed about available support