Agenda item

The Leader presented the monthly update on the main external pressures facing the council, businesses, residents, and communities.

Members were aware that the cost-of-living crisis was having a significant impact in the city, compounded by higher food and energy bills affecting many residents and businesses.

Whilst the main drivers of the cost-of-living crisis were outside the control of the council, this report provided information on how the Council was helping to facilitate, coordinate and work with its partners and communities to alleviate some of the impacts.

The Leader urged residents experiencing difficulties to contact the council for information and signposting on the advice and support available, in person, by phone or by visiting its support and advice pages on the website.

Members would see from the report the council was seeing a significant number of enquiries from residents linked to the ongoing pressures following the issuing of council tax bills.

National Non-Domestic rate bills would be issued soon and show the rateable values following the revaluation carried out by the Valuation Office Agency. It was estimated that approximately a quarter of ratepayers would see their bills decrease and a similar number would see an increase.

This report was presented within the context of the Bank of England’s raising interest rates last month, the impact of which was yet to be fully understood.

As Leader of Council and as Chair of our OneNewport partnership, the need for us to work collaboratively was clear.

Newport had strong partnerships, and these continued to help mitigate some of the impacts faced by its residents.

The report detailed some of the interventions facilitated during the period and information on how consultation with residents supported how we worked together during the following period.

The Leader drew Members’ attention to the cost-of-living event in the Riverfront Theatre on 26 April which was being supported by a myriad of partners and organisations offering advice and support to residents with managing finances and maximising income.

Comments of Cabinet Members:

§  Councillor Harvey was looking forward to the event at the Riverfront Theatre on 26 April. Last year’s event was a success with Welsh Water attending and giving financial help to residents.  The cost of living was at the forefront of everyone’s mind and some families were struggling to feed their children and food banks were running out of food. The Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing thanked the Leader for supporting residents by signposting them to the Council and Cabinet Members to provide advice on where to get financial support. Councillor Harvey reiterated that it was important for residents to contact the council and ask for assistance as there was always someone to help and they might not know what they were entitled to financially. Councillor Harvey once again encouraged the public to go to the event at the Riverfront to find out what financial benefit was available.

§  Councillor Davies supported Councillor Harvey’s comments and wanted to focus on children in schools in terms of deprivation. All foundation phase children would be entitled to free school meals, this would be rolled out to KS2 children at the beginning of the new school year.  The Cabinet Member for Education and Early Years however wanted to point out that when parents applied for free school meals, there was also access to the pupil deprivation grant, which gave access to free school uniform.  Families could still apply for additional school benefit even though they were receiving free school meals.  It was also hoped that the Welsh Government would provide free school meals over the holidays as families still needed access to this support.

§  Councillor Hughes mentioned that he was glad that collaboration was mentioned in the report and felt that the foodbanks within the city deserved a special mention as the challenges increased for them.  The Cabinet Member for Social Services also mentioned the exceptional work at the Kindness Exchange in Caerleon who were distributing food locally and also the work of the Green Caerleon Partnership which had an allotment launch this coming weekend.  These examples of work were being replicated throughout the city and showed a genuine and caring side of the city.

§  Councillor Lacey also followed on from Councillors Harvey and Hughes in thanking everyone for their hard work regarding food banks.  The Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Assets also echoed Councillor Harvey’s comments about urging residents to attend the event at the Riverfront on 26 April.  For those who could not attend this event Councillor Lacey and her ward colleagues had recently referred residents to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau to provide help and advice with residents finances, this also meant that some residents who attended CAB might have their financial issues resolved immediately and might not need support from the Council or food banks which was very positive.

§  Councillor Clarke mentioned that he and the Leader visited their local community centre in Malpas to deliver Easter eggs and whilst the children enjoyed the event the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Regulation and Housing considered the stress on the parents regarding the cost of living and therefore wanted to re-iterate that the event at the Riverfront on 26 April was very important.  It might hopefully ease the stress and help to take some anxiety away for parents.  If residents could not attend the event, they could contact the council.

§  The Leader reiterated that everyone was committed to delivering information to residents and that Cabinet Members would signpost residents to support provided by the Council.

Decision

Cabinet considered the contents of the report on the Council’s activity to respond to the external factors on Newport’s communities, businesses, and council services.