Purpose

To receive £210k from Cambridgeshire County Council to offer out as grants to a range of community based organisations under the Crisis and Resilience Fund and meeting the criteria set by the funding criteria and delegate agreement of the Funding Agreement to the Monitoring Officer.

Decision

To receive £210k from Cambridgeshire County Council to implement services under the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Reasons for the decision

Cambridgeshire County Council has indicated its intention to allocate £210,000 to Fenland District Council through the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). The funding is intended to support activity that strengthens financial resilience, reduces demand for crisis interventions and enables residents to access support before reaching a point of significant hardship. The funding presents an opportunity to enhance existing support arrangements and develop new preventative services across Fenland. Proposed activity focuses on income maximisation, debt prevention, financial wellbeing, tenancy sustainment, housing stability and community outreach. These proposals have been informed by increasing cost-of-living pressures, rural isolation and the need for earlier intervention.

The funding is expected to be utilised between now and 31 March 2027. Subject to approval, officers will develop delivery arrangements, allocate resources, establish monitoring measures and implement the preferred model as soon as practical following confirmation of funding arrangements.

The proposed programme seeks to achieve the following Crisis and Resilience Fund outcomes:

• Reduced experiences of material deprivation (RO1).
• Reduced reliance on emergency food provision (RO2).
• Increased access to quality advice and support services (RO3).
• Improved household financial management and reduced debt (RO4).
• Increased household incomes through income maximisation activity (RO5).
• Reduced demand for crisis and housing support payments (RO6).

Initial discussions have taken place with officers involved in housing, communities, financial inclusion and partnership working. The proposals have been informed by operational experience from delivery of the Household Support Fund, homelessness prevention activity, foodbank partnerships and wider cost-of-living support services.

The proposed activity aligns with work undertaken by:

• Cambridgeshire County Council
• Citizens Advice Rural Cambs
• Foodbanks and community support organisations
• Housing and homelessness support services
• Parish councils and community venues
• Health and wellbeing partners
• Voluntary and community sector organisations operating across Fenland.

The approach seeks to strengthen existing referral pathways whilst increasing opportunities for residents to access support through community venues and outreach activity across Fenland's towns and rural communities.

Delivery is expected to involve a range of community and voluntary sector partners, housing support providers, health partners. Funding has been designed to complement existing local provision and strengthen our communities.

The challenge is that the 210k allocation needs to be spent by 31 March 2027 and our delivery will impact on the potential for additional finance for 27/28 (this finance has not been specified).

There is synergy with the Low Income Family Tracker post (also funded through CCC) but the proposed activities below are seen to complement and add value to that work rather than duplication to ensure a robust and holistic service, designed to not only react to an issue but also take steps to build resilience to reduce risk of repeat calls for support.

Project

How delivered

Delivery of regular rural financial resilience and advice sessions across villages and isolated communities.

£1,000 – FDC cost of living events

Community Resilience Partnership Fund enabling voluntary and community sector organisations to submit proposals to expand outreach, engagement and financial resilience support across Fenland. Funding will set out the following criteria for delivery:

• Proactive financial resilience and income maximisation support in Rural villages and towns
• Structured follow on support pathway to reduce risk of return to crisis
• Housing resilience activity to overcome financial barriers to secure housing and sustain accommodation. N.B we have many intentional decisions with complex needs which require handholding and negotiation.
• Foodbank Outreach advisor service, sitting in foodbanks to support residents experiencing financial hardship
• Health inequalities financial wellbeing service – referrals from health or workwell to offer advice on increasing household income and access services to improve health and quality of life

£159,000 – FDC managed. Please note we are asking for an administration fee for managing the fund, to be advised.

Tenancy Sustainment and move-on fund providing essential household items and move-on support for households securing permanent accommodation.

£50,000 FDC Housing Options

Alternative options considered

Not applicable.