Issue - meetings

That the Committee support the Supporting People Grant Spend Plan for 2018/19 and the North Wales Regional Strategic Plan.

                        The Customer Support Manager introduced a report to present the Supporting People Programme Grant Local Spend Plan for 2018/19 which had been developed to align with the priorities laid out within the North Wales Supporting People Regional Strategic Plan.

The Customer Support Manager provided background information and advised that the report provided an overview of the progress made by the North Wales Regional Collaborative Committee across the priority areas outlined in last year’s plan and an overview of emerging risks to the programme.  The report also provided a summary of the range of challenges creating a pressure on the homeless service and the risk of a growing financial burden for the Council.  The Local Spend Plan proposed to progress planned reductions of services where efficiencies had been identified or where services were not deemed a priority to fund.  Released funding would be invested in services that can demonstrate they contribute to local strategic objectives or regional priorities as presented in the Regional Strategic Plan. 

The Customer Support Manager referred to the main considerations, as detailed in the report, on the Regional Strategic Plan, local priorities for Supporting People Programme Grant, decommissioning, and spend plan 2018/19.

During discussion Members expressed concern that the funding that would usually be allocated to Supporting People had moved to a new Early Intervention – Prevention and Support Grant which merged the budgets for Flying Start, Families First, Communities First Legacy Fund and a new Employability Grant.  The combined total of £252m across Wales was £13m less than the combined total of the individual grants in 2018/19.  In response to the questions raised the Chief Officer explained that the Authority’s share of the grant was not yet known.

Members referred to the support provided for prison leavers across the region, citing the provision of council housing in particular.  In response to the questions and concerns raised Councillor Bernie Attridge confirmed that where the Authority had a statutory duty to provide social housing for prison leavers there was a robust housing management policy in place to address any matters arising.

Referring to page 43 of the report, David Cox sought clarification on the need to recruit posts in the Leaving Care Team and in the Homeless Prevention service.  The Chief Officer provided further information on the need to recruit in both services and explained that the support provided by the Leaving Care Team to individuals in the early stages of independent living ensured a more successful outcome in the longer term and was more cost effective for the Authority.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee support the Supporting People Grant Spend Plan for 2018/19 and the North Wales Regional Strategic Plan.