Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes from the meeting held on 2 November 2021 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            The Board was advised that no public questions had been received.

The Board was presented with the Minutes relating to the Corporate Services Portfolio which had been considered by the Executive Board since the last meeting of this Board.

            RESOLVED: That the Minutes be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided details of the work of the Discretionary Support Scheme Topic Group. The Group had met on 15 December 2021 and reviewed the current eligibility criteria for the Discretionary Support Scheme for the following areas:

·         Applicant eligibility criteria;

·         Needs which were not covered by the Scheme;

·         Applicants not eligible for awards;

·         Items currently awarded under the Scheme; and

·         Items awarded under the Scheme which have been temporarily relaxed given the availability of Covid Household Support grant funding.

            Following a review of the areas, the Topic Group recommended the following changes to the Scheme Policy Document:

·         Section 8 – to provide for school meals where a decision was awaited following an application for free school meals; and

·         Section 8 to exclude applications for non-emergency home repairs and improvements.

It was also agreed by the Topic Group to continue with claimants not being eligible for awards where benefit claims had been disqualified, disallowed or sanctioned.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the Topic Group’s review of the Discretionary Support Scheme be noted;

2)    the criteria used to make awards under the scheme be amended as proposed in the report; and

3)    the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources be recommended to exercise his delegated authority from Executive Board in liaison with the Executive Board Member – Corporate Services, with regard to recommendation (2).