Issue - meetings

To receive petitions, presentations and questions from members of the public.

Ms Rosie Waters, Citizens Advice North Herts, thanked the Vice-Chairman for the opportunity to address Council as follows:

The Vice-Chairman thanked Ms Waters for her presentation.

Audio recording – 5 minutes 22 seconds

Prior to the item be discussed Councillor Paul Clark declared a Declarable Interest in that he was a Member and for Chair of CABNH. As there was no decision required, he would remain in the room for the duration of the item.

Ms Rosie Waters, Citizens Advice North Herts, thanked the Vice-Chairman for the opportunity to address Council as follows:

·                Funding from NHDC to CABNH was due to end in March 2020 and she was asking for this to be extended;

·                NHDC funding covered core costs and had remained static for many years and actual costs had doubled, therefore was making a request for a £30,000 increase in year 1 and a multi-year agreement with annual increases from then on;

·                Last year NHDC also funded a support worker for one year it was hoped that this funding would continue as it provided invaluable help for vulnerable people;

·                The organisation needed to grow in order to meet unmet demand and help more local residents;

·                Need for this service was increasing. In the first 6 months of this year there had been:

·                895 increase in clients (34 percent)

·                1,412 increase in advice issues (25 percent);

·                Over 1,000 more client activities.

·                DWP had given funding for a Universal Credit service, however this only accounted for 157 people;

·                On average 40 percent of clients could not get through on the phone lines

·                This was a value for money organisation that helped the most vulnerable in society with 43 percent of clients having a disability or long term health issue;

·                Last year volunteers gave £540,000 of donated hours;

·                They were working on community funding, cutting costs, making efficiencies and applying for new projects.

The following Members asked questions:

·                Councillor Clare Billing;

·                Councillor Terry Tyler.

In response to questions Ms Waters advised:

·                There was a rise in Universal Credit enquiries and family/relationship issues;

·                There was a small increase in immigration issues;

·                They currently received £145,000 from NHDC and were requesting an additional £30,000, which would pay for extra supervision and a further £30,000 would maintain the support worker post.

The Vice-Chairman thanked Ms Waters for her presentation.