Agenda item

To consider the report of the Localities Officer which invites the Inner North West Community Committee to discuss the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The report of the Localities Officer introduced a discussion on the ‘Cost of Living Crisis’, to provide the Inner North West Community Committee with an understanding of the cost of living crisis across the 3 wards.

The Chair opened up the item, by explaining the Committee are keen to hear from groups and organisations on their contributions in the community, and any issues regarding additional support required or challenges faced, and to identify any gaps.

Residents of the community and local organisations provided an update on the following:

·  LS16 Community Uniform Exchange. Parents are struggling with buying food for their families, and the Uniform Exchange seeks to provide uniform to alleviate financial pressures on families.

·  Cardigan Community Centre. There is an after school club aimed at 5-11 year olds, providing a range of children’s activities as well as providing warm drinks and snacks. The Centre keeps a box of clothes to provide people with warm options and caters for refugees and the elderly. It was also acknowledged that there is a number of students struggling with isolation issues and the Centre has established a breakfast group.

·  Saint Augustine's Wrangthorn. A warm space community session is run on a Wednesday, and it was confirmed a mixture of people attend and the space is open for all, as well as a lunch club on Sunday tailored at students. Further to comments about isolation, it was acknowledged that students may often struggle financially and with receiving support from people. Concerns were raised regarding longer term stability of financial support.

·  Left Bank Leeds. A lot of local people are taking advantage of the warm space and free WI-FI.

·  Rainbow Junction. There is a community café which runs on a Monday and Thursday. The community café offers local people with the opportunity to pay for food as ‘they feel’ with no set amount. There is also a food share set up on a Friday that people do not need referring to.

·  St Pauls. Offers a warm space for the community and on a Monday evening there is a ‘tea time meal together’ and sports activities run by Your Backyard. A mixture of people attends and has developed into a good sense of community. Concerns were raised regarding volunteer funding and how best to communicate with the community.

·  Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London. Provides individual advice for those aged 55+ for people seeking support on benefits, debt advice and health issues. They also offer hot meals on Wednesday evening and various excursions and activities.

·  Woodhouse Community Centre. There is a breakfast and lunch club twice a week that is volunteer led, with approximately 50 people attending. There are many activities that are free of charge and the lunch club is extending to beyond the capacity of the centre. Concerns were raised regarding there not being enough staff to cover household support fund advice and a recent funding bid only allowed for 1 extra colleague to help one day per week.

·  Little London Food Pantry. Residents donate £3 per week and receive £15 worth of food, that they are able to choose themselves. There is a community café running parallel to the pantry and the environment is positive. It was noted that the pantry will be trialling a way to help residents save their monies by working in liaison with the Leeds Credit Union. The pantry also invites representatives to provide support to residents on debt advice, food poverty, housing etc.

The Committee raised the following matters:

·  Respite for volunteers who worked through the Covid-19 pandemic and those continuing to volunteer. It was acknowledged that additional volunteers would benefit a number of local organisations, as well as providing them with training opportunities to broaden their skillset, to help assist with advice such as debt and food hygiene training. It was suggested that a joined-up approach be explored in terms of training volunteers as a cost effective way forward.

·  It was acknowledged that the Committee cannot solely tackle poverty as a whole, but it was suggested that the Committee focus on one priority to help assist with things such as uniform, food and warm spaces.

·  To link up organisations and help each other understand the work going on to assist communities.

·  A suggestion was made that a meeting be established to invite representatives from schools and children’s centres to understand their gaps, as it was acknowledged they work more closely with young vulnerable children and parents. Further to this, it was acknowledged that it may be beneficial to invite a representative along from Jobshops as issues linked with difficulties with recruitment and part time living wage.

·  Woodhouse Community Centre has struggled to get external agencies to attend the centre as there is usually a high cost associated with this. This issue raised particular concern as residents were keen to receive debt advice. Further to this, a member suggested that a group of volunteers be put forward to be accredited in providing advice and whether mice money from the Community Committee would cover this.

The Chair concluded by highlighted the importance of ensuring services are open and accessible to those most in need and assisting in helping volunteer capacity, as well as supporting broadening their skillset. The Localities Officer added that a note will be written to organisations and volunteers outlining the number of options in terms of training such as safeguarding, mental health and first aid.

RESOLVED – To note the contents of the report and discussions during consideration of this item.

Councillor Garthwaite left the meeting at 6:45pm and Councillors Akhtar, Pryor and Howley left the meeting at 7pm.