Previous Reference:           Minute 50 (2016/17)

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “AF” which provides an overview of poverty-deprivation related statistics in Bradford East and a summary of key interventions led by the Council and partners to support vulnerable people.

Recommended –

That the issues outlined in the report (Document “AF”) be noted and the Committee makes observations and comments identifying gaps or areas of improvement.

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                                        (Helen Johnston – 01274 434401)

                                                                        (Catriona Colborn – 01274 434691)

Previous Reference:           Minute 50 (2016/17)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “AF” which provided an overview of poverty-deprivation related statistics in Bradford East and a summary of key interventions led by the Council and partners to support vulnerable people.

Members commented on a number of issues which included:

·         Given that the poverty rates were increasing; were services prepared for the fall out of Universal Credits?

·         Needed to look at other initiative to help support people financially struggling such as charging 50p for swimming lessons and selling healthy snacks rather than unhealthy food.

·         How many schools had applied for the Bradford Education Opportunity Area funding? It was not appropriate for this initiative to be included in this particular report.

·         Dentistry should have been included in the report.

·         Welfare Advice Support Services needed to be in appropriate areas where people could get to without costing them; could look at proving advice in Community Centres.

·         Information about where the advice services were based should be better advertised.

·         Were Welfare Advices Services providing advice in different languages?

·         What support was being provided to private landlords on the new housing standards?

·         Bradford East was the most deprived parliamentary constituency and needed further targeted interventions in the lower level super output areas as detailed in Section 2 of Appendix “A” to Document “AF”.

·         When were the best practice projects from Better Start Bradford being rolled out to other areas?

In response to Members questions it was reported that:

·         Full impact of Universal Credits was not known yet; a multi-agency group, that included Council officers and a Department for Work and Pensions representative met regularly with the aim of ensuring the district was prepared for the full rollout of Universal Credits.

·         The Council with its partners was developing a digital strategy; the aim of the strategy was to ensure people had online access and the skills needed to complete, save and submit forms.

·         Officers were working with InCommunities and Manningham Housing Associations on the changes in the way rent would be paid so that they could provide support to Universal Credit claimants.

·         The real challenge on the impact of Universal Credits would be known in 2 to 3 years.

·         The DWP was not looking at local partners for translation services and the only support that would be available would be telephone helpline which was available in different languages.

·         Information relating to the new housing standards and the advice that was provided to private landlords would be circulated to Members.

Resolved-

That whilst poverty is an issue for Bradford, the Committee notes:

·         That Bradford East is the most deprived parliamentary constituency

·         ¼ of all workers receive less than the National Minimum Wage

·         7970 families were affected by the recent changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme

On that basis the Committee asks the Anti Poverty Co-ordination Group to consider what further targeted interventions could be made in the most deprived areas referred to in Section 2 of Appendix “A” to Document “AF”.

Action:           Strategic Director Place

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)