To receive Report No. 53/2017 from the Director for People

Report no. 53/2017 was received from Dr T O’Neill, Director for People and presented by Mrs Caffrey, Head of Families Support; Mrs Curtis, Head of Learning and Skills and Ms Barbie Coulson from Citizens Advice Rutland (CAR).

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    The report had previously been presented to the Children Scrutiny Panel but had since been updated (pages 33 & 36).

b)    Ms Coulson informed attendees that the report from the CAR on poverty in Rutland had produced some interesting information such as:

(i)    Rutland was an area of high housing costs and had a high number of houses being privately rented, which were usually older, energy inefficient houses.

(ii)  Food bank statistics showed that the largest group of users (70%) were single people and anecdotally most of these were men (page 69).

c)    Ms Coulson emphasised that national statistics should be treated with care as the data could be skewed due to the small numbers being dealt with in Rutland, as described in the Council’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2015.

d)    Appendix A, item 3 (page 33) stated that disadvantaged two year olds were offered 15 hours per week of early education for 38 weeks.  It was discussed if this should be longer than 38 weeks as well as providing crèche facilities at free support groups.

e)    It was also discussed if the Council and the Councillors should contact local supermarkets and shops to enquire about lowering food prices.

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Mrs Youngman left the meeting at 8.34 p.m.

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f)     It was recommended that the Poverty ‘Green Paper’ should include details of the costings involved and what the Council has already achieved.

g)    It was agreed that the best way to lift people out of poverty was for the Council’s policies to:

(i)    Address the needs of families by supporting business, and promoting micro and small business enabling work to pay.

(ii)  Increase the provision of fuel efficient housing in the lower quartiles of the housing market.

(iii) Provide the support and advice necessary to ensure full access to any state support to which individuals were entitled.

(iv) Provide advice and advocacy for those who run into debt trying to manage their money.

h)   A ‘Quick Guide to the 30 Hour Deal’ was being drafted and would be published once figures from the Department for Education had been confirmed.

i)     Children’s services within Rutland were expanding especially with the forthcoming move of the Children’s Centre to Oakham Library.

j)      Ms Coulson reported that Appendix B, Item 5 (page 38) was inaccurate.  When Universal Credit was fully implemented in October 2017, claimants living in Caldecott would be able to use the job centre in Corby.  All other areas would have to use the job centre in Stamford which may require a review of transport routes and timings within the county.

k)    The provision of free school meals to pre-school children was discussed.  Do we provide?  If not, should we and do we have funding available to provide free school meals to pre-school children?