Agenda item

To consider the report of the Financial Inclusion Team on work undertaken across the city to support people who find themselves in financial difficulties. The report also provides ward specific information on support organisations and financial inclusion initiatives which apply to the Inner North East area.

The report of the Financial Inclusion Team was presented by Diane Gill, Senior Policy Development Officer.

The officer informed the Community Committee that the Financial Inclusion Team through the Citizens@Leeds programme ensured that essential services were provided in an integrated and accessible way to those who most needed it, providing support and advice and for those requiring financial assistance they had quick and easy access to financial advice and cost effective credit facilities.

The report set out the current initiatives as:

·  Local Welfare Support Scheme (LWSS)

·  Advice provision

·  Debt Forums

·  Money Buddies

·  Benefit Buddies

·  Leeds Credit Union

·  Front line staff training

·  Money Information Centre (MIC)

·  Fareshare

·  Poverty Factbook

·  Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT)

The officer provided the Community Committee with specific details of some initiatives and current progress.

The Community Committee were informed of the Money Buddies scheme which provides one to one home budgeting and assistance. The Committee heard that Money Buddies was run by volunteers who had been in debt themselves and so were able to provide practical help and solutions for clients.

Members were informed that Credit Union had moved into a local shop on Roundhay Road to have direct competition with loan sharks. It was also noted that a new Credit Union would be opening shortly in the Merrion Centre 2 doors away from Bright House

Members were advised that as part of educating children on money, saving clubs had been opened in 30 schools across the city. The schools taking part in the saving clubs were listed as part of an appendix to the submitted report.

The Committee heard that a booklet called ‘Help With Managing Your Money’ had been produced to provide information on benefit, debt and legal advice, affordable credit and banking services, home budgeting and financial literacy advice. The booklet was available at HUB’s, One Stop Centres and children’s centres.

 Members heard about Fareshare a charity for provision of food when in crisis. They heard that Fareshare provided cereals to school breakfast clubs and children’s centres and that further work was being undertaken during 2017/18 to increase the take up of this provision over the school cluster groups.

Members also heard about an initiative called fit and fed which aims to provide children with activities and a meal during the school holidays. Members were informed that once venues had been secured then these activities would be promoted.

Members suggested that Fareshare could attend the Youth Summit to discuss their ideas and put forward an application for Youth Activity Funding.

Members asked that schools were made aware of the Fit and Fed Scheme with Street Games once venues are known.

Members had noted that Millfield Primary School were not listed as part of the schools with saving clubs as each child when starting school receives £1 to open an account which is provided by the Ward Councillors.

Discussions took place in relation to Universal Credit and the impact that this would have on people particularly families. It was noted that Universal Credit had been rolled out to single people and that the impact of this had been managed. However, the Committee heard that when it is rolled out next year it would impact on families who may not receive benefit for six weeks. There would be work and assistance needed in getting people on line to make a claim and help to budget monthly.

RESOLVED – To note the content of the report and to inform further discussions on how community committees can further support financial inclusion initiatives that raise awareness of local services that help residents in inner east manage their finances and personal debt.