Councillors will this week consider a cost-of-living support package worth nearly £2million – amid concerns the budget for helping community pantries has been slashed.
The Corporate Scrutiny Committee (CSC) is due to examine the council’s plan for delivering Household Support Fund (HSF) 7 – the latest government funding to help vulnerable households and those in need – on Wednesday.
County Hall’s delivery plan for the £1,994,369.25 Isle of Wight HSF has various components including a supermarket voucher initiative worth £400,000, £500,000 in community grants, and a utility, food and white goods support scheme worth £350,000.
Cabinet member for adult social care and housing, Councillor Debbie Andre, decided to approve the plan on 24th April but Councillor Geoff Brodie, with the support of 8 other councillors, called-in the decision for it to be discussed on Wednesday.
A submitted statement justifying the call-in reads:
“Examine the reasons why support for community pantries and larder has been reduced by 46 per cent for 2025-26 despite the overall DWP funding ‘only’ being reduced by 12 per cent.
“Examine why £175,000 is being allocated to the IW Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) for “maintaining Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG) provisions for the Island around crisis prevention support & guidance”; services described as “woefully inadequate” by Aspire, Pan Together, Ventnor Town Council and West Wight Sports & Community Centre – all providers of similar support and guidance.
“Consider urging the cabinet member to restore funding (with inflation) to the community pantries and larder for 2025-26 (at least £145,000) and to allocate some of any remaining funds from the £175,000 allocated to CAB to other organisations offering crisis prevention support and guidance.”
Article continues below this advertisement
The council’s decision report for the HSF 7 delivery plan says:
“On October 30, 2024, the government announced a further extension to the HSF as targeted financial support for those in need over the 2025/2026 financial year.
“The £742 million HSF is being distributed through county and unitary councils, and the objective of the fund is to provide crisis support to vulnerable households with the cost of essentials to meet immediate needs and help those struggling to afford household essentials including energy and water bills, food and wider essentials.
“An element of the funding should also be used for preventative support to stop vulnerable households from falling into – or falling further into – crisis.
“In exceptional cases of genuine emergency, it can additionally be used to support housing costs where existing housing support schemes do not meet this exceptional need.”
CSC will meet at County Hall at 17:00 on Wednesday evening.
The fairest way to distribute the monies is to give
all households who actually pay council tax a rebate.