Local democracy

Agenda item

PROPOSED INVESTMENTS UTILISING COVID GRANT

The Director of Finance will submit a report (Document “DR”) which provides Members with a number of new recommended investments to help respond and recover from the Covid Pandemic. Funding for the new investments will derive from Government provided Covid related grants.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       Note the contents of this report

 

(2)       Approve the £4.0m of continued investment in priority areas as outlined in section 2 to Document “DR”, to be funded from available Covid related grant monies.

 

(3)       Resolve that this decision is exempt from ‘call-in’ on the grounds of urgency, for the reasons set out in paragraph 1.5 to Document “DR”.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Corporate

 

(Andrew Cross - 07870 386523)

 

 

 

Minutes:

It was noted that the following report had not been included on the published Forward Plan as an issue for consideration owing to the need first to ensure approval of the Council’s Budget as the overriding priority. Now that had been achieved attention could be given to consideration of how Covid 19 funding from Government could be allocated to meet needs in the District. Decisions needed to be taken at this meeting to ensure that preparations for the spending could be made as soon as possible. As it was impractical to defer the decision until it has been included in the published Forward Plan the report was submitted in accordance with paragraph 11 of the Executive Procedure Rules set out in the Council’s Constitution.

 

The Director of Finance submitted a report (Document “DR”) which provided Members with a number of new recommended investments to help respond and recover from the Covid Pandemic. Funding for the new investments would derive from Government provided Covid related grants.

 

He advised members that the proposed investments were targeted at protecting the vulnerable and keeping essential services going and were one off time limited grants.  He noted that approximately £2m Covid grants would be unallocated and would be used to address future needs.  He explained that all Covid expenditure, income losses by the Council and all Covid funding received had been reported in the quarterly monitor reports and that an update would be provided in the next month.

 

The Children and Families Portfolio Holder noted that there had been a record demand in the Children’s Social Care front door with  900 contacts per week in the last year.  He added that the investment outlined in the report would increase capacity in the system.  The Leader noted the unseen cost of the pandemic in increasing demand on Children’s Services.

 

The Healthy People and Places Portfolio Holder welcomed the investment in supporting mental health and wellbeing which would have a positive impact on people experiencing isolation during lockdown.

 

In response to a question from a member of the opposition group the Director of Finance stated that it was difficult to forecast how long the Council would feel the financial impact of Covid and that current the forecast was that Covid would continue and have some impact on finances until the end of June 2021.  He added that the Council had taken some decisions to fund in advance of grant being received and in some cases funding had been received in advance of its allocation.  He stated that an assumption had been made that all funding from Government would be utilised and this would leave £2m surplus grant which would be kept constantly under review.

 

It was noted that a response would be provided by the Education, Employment and Skills Portfolio Holder to the question from the member of the opposition group seeking clarification regarding enhancing the school food parcels going out to children on Free School Meals during COVID.

 

 

Resolved –

 

(1)       That the contents of Document “DR” be noted.

 

(2)       That approval be given for the £4.0m of continued investment in priority areas as outlined in section 2 to Document “DR”, to be funded from available Covid related grant monies.

 

(3)       That this decision is exempt from ‘call-in’ on the grounds of urgency, for the reasons set out in paragraph 1.5 to Document “DR”.

 

Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee

ACTION: Director of Finance

 

 

(Andrew Cross - 07870 386523)

 

Supporting documents: