Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That

1.  The progress on actions supporting the financial inclusion as highlighting at paragraph 2.4 and set out in the Strategy in Appendix 1 of the report be noted; and

2.  The refreshed Preventing Financial Exclusion Strategy and action plan in Appendix 1 of the report be agreed, subject to typographical and presentational amendments and updating the ward based statistics to reflect the new wards.

(See Record of Decision)

The Cabinet Member for Communities, Leisure and Arts introduced the strategy explaining that it had been refreshed to reflect the changes in needs since its implementation in response to the negative economic impacts of COVID-19 in 2021. She outlined the achievements of the strategy so far as detailed in point 2.4 of the report and the four priority areas to support the Borough’s most vulnerable going forward, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

Members were pleased with the report overall but had a few suggestions on typographical and presentational changes. A question was also raised concerning the referenced ward names in Appendix 1 to the report, which would be different following elections. The Head of Insight, Communities and Governance confirmed that these would be updated as needed.

RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to CABINET: That

1. Progress on actions supporting financial inclusion highlighted at paragraph 2.4 of the report and set out in the Strategy (Appendix 1 to the report) be noted; and
   
   
2. The refreshed Preventing Financial Exclusion Strategy and action plan (Appendix 1 to the report) be agreed, subject to typographical and presentational amendments and updating the ward-based statistics to reflect the new wards.