Issue - meetings

That Cabinet:

a)    Continue to support Officers to represent the Council and contribute to the work of the North Staffordshire Financial Inclusion Group (FIG) in order to ensure that the Borough benefits from the work set out in the FIG action plan.

b)    Endorse Officers in continuing to build on the work already undertaken to address issues faced by some our most disadvantaged residents and to help to address wider social issues leading to positive outcomes.  This focus of this work can be categorised into the following priorities;

                              i.        Planning and responding effectively to the challenges of welfare reform;

                            ii.        Contributing to and improving financial education

                           iii.        Improving the access to financial services and affordable credit

                           iv.        Improving the awareness of and access to quality debt advice and the promotion of savings and insurance.

A report was submitted advising members of the extent of financial exclusion and over indebtedness in Newcastle under Lyme and to update members on work being delivered by the Council and its partners contributing to the financial inclusion agenda.

The report sought approval for continuation and further development of work that would tackle both the causes and consequences of financial exclusion and over indebtedness in the Borough.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a)    Continue to support Officers to represent the Council and contribute to the work of the North Staffordshire Financial Inclusion Group (FIG) in order to ensure that the Borough benefits from the work set out in the FIG action plan.

b)    Endorse Officers in continuing to build on the work already undertaken to address issues faced by some our most disadvantaged residents and to help to address wider social issues leading to positive outcomes.  This focus of this work can be categorised into the following priorities;

                              i.        Planning and responding effectively to the challenges of welfare reform;

                            ii.        Contributing to and improving financial education

                           iii.        Improving the access to financial services and affordable credit

                           iv.        Improving the awareness of and access to quality debt advice and the promotion of savings and insurance.