Decision Details

1.  Agreed that the Department for Work and Pension’s Household Support Fund allocation can be used in accordance with section 5 of the report for:

• delivery of new Targeted Payments to support those at risk over the winter period including children on Free School Meals during the School Holiday periods.
•   support the delivery of existing support schemes related to the conditions of the grant

2.  Utilised the grant to cover payments made during the October half term period.

3.  Awarded a Food Poverty grant (paragraphs 5.15-5.16) to Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency

4.  Awarded the Stay Warm, Stay Safe grant (paragraphs 5.17-5.18) to Charlton Athletic Community Trust as part of supporting Fuel Poverty.

5.  Agreed to the allocation of £100,000 to the Winter Support Grant Scheme (paragraphs 5.19-5.20);

6.  Delegated authority to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance, to decide on the award of the £100,000 allocation to the Winter Support Grant Scheme, which is therefore to be the subject of a separate decision report in early 2022.

7.  Noted that the cost of the measures outlined will be met in full by the government, including the cost of administration.

The Covid pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of Greenwich residents and more widely.  As part of supporting the recovery from the pandemic the Government announced the launch of a new Household Support Grant.  The aim of the fund is to support vulnerable households with a focus on addressing essential costs such as energy and food.  

The final guidance on the grant conditions including allocation was issued to Local Authorities on 5 November.  This has enabled Officers to confirm proposals for spend in line with the Department for Work and Pensions guidelines, including recommended payments to children on Free School Meals (FSM) over the winter holiday periods. 

An item was subsequently placed on the Key Decision Forward Plan.  However, when taking into account:

•        28 days’ notice to be given for a key decision;

•        5 clear days’ notice to be given before the decision is taken; and

•        Call in to expire;

this would only enable the delivery of the schemes set out in this paper to commence at the earliest from 5pm on 21 December.  Given the impact of Covid on vulnerable household’s health, social and economic wellbeing there are clear grounds for extreme urgency that mean it would not be prudent, nor in the public/taxpayer’s interest to delay support until this date to households. Delivering the schemes set out in this report earlier than 21 December would enable the provision of extra financial support to start prior to the Christmas holiday period.     

For the reasons set out above, the Chief Executive has agreed both that the decision proposed is reasonable and is to be treated as a matter of urgency because any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would prejudice the public interest.