Agenda item

To consider an update on progress with development of the West Northamptonshire Anti Poverty Strategy.

RESOLVED that: the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

a)     Welcomed the update on development of the Anti-Poverty Strategy and the positive approach being taken by West Northamptonshire Council on this matter.

b)     Requested to be provided with further information on responses to the Poverty Truth Commission received so far.

c)     Requested to receive a further update on the Anti-Poverty Strategy at the first Committee meeting after the anticipated adoption of the Strategy in January 2022.

The Executive Director - Adults, Communities and Wellbeing introduced the report and highlighted the following points:

·         There were 78,000 people in West Northamptonshire suffering with income deprivation, which demonstrated the impact it had.

·         WNC would use a Poverty Truth Commission to support the development of its Anti-Poverty Strategy.  This reflected the importance of local connections.

·         A strategy workshop would take place on 30^th September 2021 to build understanding of the situation in West Northamptonshire. 

·         The Anti-Poverty Strategy should involve significant actions that would make a meaningful difference to people’s lives. 

·         It was planned to take the Anti-Poverty Strategy to Council early in 2022. Combatting poverty should be a core ongoing focus for WNC.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Wellbeing and Health Integration advised that taking meaningful action against poverty in all parts of the authority was a priority for the Administration.  It was intended to identify best practice and reflect this in a Strategy that could be reported back on annually, to provide accountability.

Mr Robin Burgess, Chief Executive of the Hope Group, addressed the Committee and made the following points:

·         He endorsed the development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy by WNC and the political commitment to doing this, particularly given prospective changes to Universal Credit.

·         In practice VCS organisations often played a significant part in responding to poverty.  In West Northamptonshire an alliance of 40 different groups was working in this field.

·         He urged WNC to see the development of the Anti-Poverty Strategy as a
co-production with the VCS and faith sectors, reflecting that they were sources of intelligence additional to the Poverty Truth Commission.

The Committee considered the report and members raised points as follows:

·         The commitment to developing an effective Anti-Poverty Strategy heard from the Cabinet Member and Executive Director was welcome.

·         Were VCS groups being invited to the strategy workshop?

·         What responses to the Poverty Truth Commission had been received so far?

·         How should Overview and Scrutiny consider the Anti-Poverty Strategy in future to add value to it?

·         The Committee might consider setting up a scrutiny panel in future on poverty.  It might also revisit the response to the Northampton Borough Council scrutiny review on food poverty.

·         WNC should ensure that it considered poverty in both rural and urban areas.

·         It was welcome to see that the essential living costs that could contribute to poverty identified in the report included the cost of funerals.

·         The Strategy should recognise that a person could have a job but not be able to afford to travel to work. 

The Executive Director - Adults, Communities and Wellbeing made the following points in response:

·         VCS groups had been invited to the strategy workshop.

·         Information on the number of responses to the Poverty Truth Commission could be provided to the Committee.

·         WNC should aim to produce an annual report on all adopted strategies, including the Anti-Poverty Strategy.  Overview and Scrutiny would then be able to use these annual reports to review progress with delivery and the outcomes achieved.

RESOLVED that: the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

a)     Welcomed the update on development of the Anti-Poverty Strategy and the positive approach being taken by West Northamptonshire Council on this matter.

b)     Requested to be provided with further information on responses to the Poverty Truth Commission received so far.

c)     Requested to receive a further update on the Anti-Poverty Strategy at the first Committee meeting after the anticipated adoption of the Strategy in January 2022.

[The meeting was adjourned briefly at this point].