The Cabinet Member approved two initiatives to help local people with the cost of living: a grant scheme for warm spaces, and two further grant schemes for food poverty initiatives. The Cabinet Member also approved the minutes of the previous meeting.

Safe, Secure and Warm Spaces

The Cabinet Member approved a proposal for a new grant scheme, funded by the Welsh Government's Safe, Secure and Warm Spaces initiative, to help local community groups provide warm spaces for residents over the winter.

The Council has been allocated £83,875 to distribute to community groups, with a maximum of £2,500 available per group. To be eligible for the funding, groups will need to demonstrate that they can provide a welcoming, accessible, safe and warm environment, and will need to host at least one visit from each of the following council services:

• Hwb Bach y Wlad.
• Working Carmarthenshire. Working Carmarthenshire is the council's employment support service.
• Actif. Actif is the council's sport and leisure service.

Groups will be able to use the funding to provide basic refreshments, advice and support services, or enrichment activities like exercise, arts or cultural activities.

Applications will be assessed by the council's Bureau team, and final approval for grants will be made by the Head of Economic Development & Property, Simon Davies.

The report noted that:

The interventions proposed will provide support to organisations within the County that are responding and supporting people that are facing poverty.

Compensation Payments for Dehumidifiers

The Cabinet Member approved a proposal to reduce the amount of money paid to tenants to compensate them for the cost of running dehumidifiers provided by the council.

The previous rate of £10 per day was based on an assumed 12 hours of usage per day. The new rate of £1.53 per day is based on Ofgem's average unit cost per kilowatt hour. Ofgem is the UK's energy regulator. The Housing Services Manager, Gareth Williams, explained that this would better reflect the actual cost of using a dehumidifier and would ensure fairness and transparency.

The Housing Services Manager also said that:

since the trial in September 2024, a significant reduction in compensation being paid out was evident.

Direct Food Support Fund

The Cabinet Member approved two new grant schemes, funded by the Welsh Government's Direct Food Support Fund, to support people in Carmarthenshire who are facing food poverty.

Carmarthenshire Council has received £55,916 in revenue funding and £49,537 in capital funding.

The two schemes are:

• Foodbank support
• Food Direct Capital fund

The Cabinet Member noted that:

in order to support the needs of local communities, the report proposed that the funding would be used to deliver two grant schemes which was set out within the report.

Applications will be assessed by the council's Bureau team, and the Head of Economic Development and Property will have delegated authority to approve the grants.