Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Locality Partnerships which introduces a verbal update with partners to form a discussion around the Cost of Living.

The report of the Head of Locality Partnerships introduced a formal discussion around the Cost of Living in the Inner East with Elected Members and partners.

The Chair introduced the item by explaining Inner East Community Committee areas represent the most deprived wards in Leeds and there are several challenges people are struggling with in terms of the price of energy, food and inflation.

Representatives from Leeds City Council’s Housing Department and Community Hubs (The Compton Centre) attended the meeting to provide an update on the work they and their service have been doing to support the community. The following updates were provided:

Community Hubs – The Compton Centre

• An overview of the warm spaces project for those who cannot afford electricity, an offering them a warm and/or soft drink.
• Advice is offered to residents who need it, and the hubs can signpost people to other departments / organisations. The service work with communities all year round.
• Zero Waste Leeds provide free winter coats to the hubs for people to use and the uptake is usually high.
• Food pantries are closed over the Christmas period, and as a result, the hub will be offering £25 ASDA food vouchers to the people who need it.
• The Compton Centre is hosting a Winter Festival where children can visit Santa 11am until 2pm. There will be cake decorating, selection boxes given out and some raffle prizes.

Housing

• How the service sign-post people to the relevant support, housing providers and third partners.
• Housing colleagues work with Green Doctors and other agencies across Inner East Leeds.
• Housing officers are at the back end of their 3-year tenancy programme and officers have close contact with priority tenancy and provide support where it is needed.
• Staff have given up excess clothing to provide clothing where it is needed. Similarly, food has been collected to provide it to tenants who need it.
• It is acknowledged that people are struggling with sign posting to the relevant team, department and/or organisation and staff are trying to raise awareness in terms of this.
• The team work at Deacon House with children’s service and has also established a working relationship with them. The importance of ensuring that people are receiving the correct support and care was acknowledged.
• There is a British Gas voucher handed out to residents identified by housing officers, to help with debt.

The Chair touched on homelessness prevention and commented on the need to understand the needs for every person, and how people can be directed to seek help and signpost them to relevant services. The Chair also acknowledged that there are good community anchor networks and third sector partners.

Community Committee Members discussed the following:

·  Acknowledging that there are grants available to support people, in terms of insulation and keeping houses warm over the winter period. How residents can be supported to access what is already available in the community.

·  The importance of early prevention with sign-posting people to the relevant support and getting them to the help they need.

·  Clarity on communications for people who do not speak English as a first language. It was confirmed that there are posters and flyers in different languages in the hubs, and there are also translator services.

·  Clarity on the number of people accessing community hubs. It was confirmed that the hub can use a system to collate figures for any of the customers.

·  It was confirmed that the £25 ASDA food vouchers are done on discretion by officers. If officers feel there is a need for somebody to have a voucher, they will receive one. They are for an interim period whilst the food banks are closed.

·  Members acknowledged that there are also other organisations around the communities who provide support and vouchers to people. Some that were touched on included St Vincent’s Centre, St Ages, St Hilda’s Church and Space2 Leeds.

·  It was noted that Elected Members can send out 100 letters per councillor free of charge, and it may be considered a way to reach priority neighbourhoods and areas.

·  The Money Information Centre is a good portal for the Cost of Living.

·  Members raised concern for residents over the Christmas period where most services will be shut. A suggestion was made that evidence is gathered on people’s lived experiences. It was acknowledged that the Government are developing the Child Poverty Strategy and looking at Pensioner Poverty.

·  Disparities of wealth.

The Chair summarised by acknowledging existing support in the community for residents and highlighted the importance of sharing information about such services and third sector partners/organisations and how people can get access to the support they need.

RESOLVED – To note the updates provided during the meeting, together with the comments raised by Community Committee Members.