Issue - meetings

Cllr. Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Finance, Customer Services, Net Zero Council, introduced the report setting out the background to the proposed decision.

The Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF), launched in October 2021, had provided over £2.5 billion to local authorities to assist vulnerable households with rising living costs, particularly food and energy, and had also been a critical part of the Council’s Cost of Living response. To date, the Council had received £6m from this fund. The HSF targets low-income individuals and families unable to afford essentials, with local authorities having discretion in fund distribution.

The Leadership Team welcomed this report and were pleased that with this funding, the Council can continue to facilitate programmes desperately needed in the borough such as Free School Meals in School holidays for eligible children, the K&C Foundation Cash First scheme, Emergency Food provision and the Kensington and Chelsea Social Council Community Resilience support programme for another six months.

The Leadership Team RESOLVED, for the reasons set out in paragraphs 3.1- 3.2 and elsewhere within the report, that the recommendations at paragraph 21 – 2.2 be adopted.

The Leadership Team

a)     Agreed the 2024/25 6 month allocation of Household Support Fund to the following initiatives:-

Recommendation 1: Transfer funding to schools to support families eligible for Free School Meals with a meal offer for the remaining academic year (April 2024- 31 August 2024) at the current rate of £4 - £680,800.

Recommendation 2: Fund an Emergency food fund and support for vulnerable individuals and families whose needs are not met through the Council’s existing Housing Management Financial Resilience Fund for 2024/25 - £45,000.

Recommendation 3: Fund the continuation of the Cash First Scheme run by the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation to support food insecurity and financial resilience in the Borough for 2024/25- £175,000.

Recommendation 4: Fund the Kensington and Chelsea Social Council Community Resilience Support Programme to further develop food insecurity support infrastructure in the borough for 2024/25 - £91,153.

b)     Agreed that where there is a shortfall in the final HSF funding allocation, the final decision on funding allocations (e.g. utilising the Cost of Living Reserve Fund) will be delegated to the Executive Director of Resources, following consultation with the Lead Member for Finance, Customer Services and Net Zero.

Action by: Executive Director of Resources