Issue - meetings

** Report to follow “”

Report of Corporate Director of Resources

Resolved

(1)          That the work that the Council is undertaking be noted.

(2)          That the Council’s Food Champion and the work of the Food Insecurity Working Group be supported.

(3)          That the allocation of £250k from the COVID fund to support the Food Voucher Scheme be supported and authority to approve further expenditure be delegated to the Corporate Director Resources, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Portfolio Holder for Healthy Communities.

(4)          That it be agreed to successfully deliver new Central Government funding initiatives that support our communities.

The Corporate Director Resources submitted a report which summarised the work the Council was undertaking with respect to the current Cost of Living situation that our residents were experiencing.

In introducing the report the Portfolio Holder for Healthy Communities, also the council’s Food Champion, updated Executive on the work of the Food Insecurity Working Group that had been established by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The cross-party Working Group would be working with officers on the production of the Cherwell action plan, focusing on three of the priorities from the Oxfordshire Food Strategy: tackle food poverty and diet-related ill health; build vibrant food communities with the capacity and skills to enjoy food together; and, grow the local food economy through local enterprises, local jobs and local wealth generation. The Group would also be working with officers on promotional campaigns for healthy living schemes and promotions, such as the Healthy Start vouchers.

The Portfolio Holder for Healthy Communities also highlighted the warm space initiative whereby the council was working with local partners to provide a comprehensive and complementary warm space offer across the district.

Resolved

(1)          That the work that the Council is undertaking be noted.

(2)          That the Council’s Food Champion and the work of the Food Insecurity Working Group be supported.

(3)          That the allocation of £250k from the COVID fund to support the Food Voucher Scheme be supported and authority to approve further expenditure be delegated to the Corporate Director Resources, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and Portfolio Holder for Healthy Communities.

(4)          That it be agreed to successfully deliver new Central Government funding initiatives that support our communities.

Reasons

This report provides an update on work the Council is undertaking with respect to the Cost of Living Situation. The Council is committed to supporting our residents where we can help them through this current period of economic uncertainty.

Alternative options

Option 1: To reject the recommendations.