Decision details

The Director of Communities and Environment submitted a report providing an update on the Council’s strategic approach towards tackling poverty in Leeds. The report also considered the role of Executive Board, Health and Wellbeing Board and the proposed Inclusive Growth Delivery Partnership in helping to achieve the aims in this area, and which proposed a range of further work to be undertaken and submitted to the Board over the next 12 months.

As part of the introduction to the report, the Executive Member for ‘Communities’ highlighted that the second recommendation in the submitted report, when making reference to the suggested areas of further work for the initiative, should read 3.4.10, and not 3.4.9, as detailed.

Responding to a Member’s enquiry, the Board was provided with further information on how future work in this area was intended to be reported back to the Board, and it was undertaken that when future reports were submitted, detail would be provided which was quantifiable and which allowed Members to review the progress being made.

Also in response to a Member’s comments, it was reiterated to the Board that the aim of the initiative was to both reduce the number of people living in poverty and also to mitigate the negative impacts that living in poverty was having on people’s lives.

In addition, Members also received further information on the areas which were proposed to be the focus over the next 12 months and how progress in those areas would be aligned to the work and/or the priorities of the Best Council Plan, the Child Poverty Impact Board and the Inclusive Growth Strategy.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the strategic framework in place to tackle poverty and inequality across the city, together with the work being undertaken by the Council and its partners in the key areas of activity, be noted;

(b)  That in noting the minor correction to the submitted report as outlined above, the suggested areas for further work, as referenced in sections 3.4.10 of the submitted report, be agreed, and that the relevant Director be requested to bring forward reports to Executive Board as appropriate in the next twelve months.