Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee will meet on Tuesday 5 September and will receive a report on the progress our Council is making in relation to tackling poverty in the region.
Among the updates given to Councillors is a full itinerary of how our Council’s Anti-Poverty money is being spent in various ways, as well as noting the efforts and resources being dedicated to informing, including and communicating with a range of stakeholders who directly link in to tackling poverty head on.
One of the largest sums of money that Members will be asked to agree is the £1.2m allocation to the Anti-Poverty Family Support Team Project. The 18 month project will provide direct support to our most vulnerable children and their families and will be managed by an East and a West team within Social Work. The funding will allow for support to be provided direct to these families in their homes during evenings and weekends, as well as the current support they receive.
A sum of £400k is recommended to be approved to continue and enhance the Breakfast Clubs in schools. Our Council plans to introduce free breakfast clubs in every primary school in Dumfries and Galloway. Councillors will hear that the funding will be used to provide breakfast for those who travel to school, breakfast clubs for school holiday time as well as term time and an automatic registration service for free school meals and clothing grant for those who are eligible. Research has shown that children who eat a nutritious breakfast learn more effectively during the school day, so it is our Council’s intention to assist in the provision of their breakfast each morning.
Nearly £300,000 is recommended to be allocated to the Housing Options and Homeless Service Improvement Team Project. This service is responsible for many face to face interactions with those suffering or living in poverty such as housing options and benefits. As part of the Homelessness Improvement Plan agreed last year, our Council is working towards implementing more than fifty actions to improve the way we handle homelessness. The funding, if agreed by Members on 5 September will allow a more focused approach to be taken within the homelessness service and will allow for more resources to be implemented within the service – mainly to look at the temporary accommodation review, system procurement and the development of more robust procedures.
These are just some examples of how funds will be allocated ahead of the meeting on 5 September. As well as funding, Members will be asked to agree the Anti-Poverty Strategy refreshed Action Plan as well as the programme for the upcoming ‘Tackling Poverty in Dumfries and Galloway’ Conference, due to be held in the Easterbrook Hall on Monday 16 October.
Communities Committee Chairman, Councillor Andy Ferguson said ahead of the meeting next month;
“This is a full and comprehensive report that shows exactly how we are proposing to tackle poverty in the region. This administration is absolutely determined to make a difference, a proper difference, to those who are living in poverty. The wide-ranging recommendations in the report give a crystal clear demonstration of how complex an issue tackling poverty is. We’re dealing with everything from housing to fuel and food. I look forward to the report being agreed by my fellow Members and the good work that’s already underway continuing.”
Vice Chairman, Councillor John Martin echoed these comments. He said;
“I am glad to see the Tackling Poverty Conference is once again in place for this year. It brings together all the key players and provides a great sounding board for us all to thrash out exactly how we can work together more effectively. This effectiveness needs to be passed on to those who are experiencing poverty, and this report will allow officers and community groups to increase their own effectiveness to do all they can to help those who need it most. It’s a sign of strength towards our Council that even in such dire financial times, we can allocate a healthy sum of money to such an important and vital programme of work.”
To view the report in full, please visit www.dumgal.gov.uk
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