Agenda and draft minutes

Members will disclose any pecuniary and any other significant interests they may have in relation to the matters to be considered at this meeting.

None.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on Wednesday 14 February 2024.

The minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 14 February 2024 were confirmed as a correct record by those who were in attendance.

To receive and respond to any questions from members of the public.

Public questions for Cabinet may be submitted at any time by writing to Democratic Services or via email democratic.services@wyre.gov.uk. Public questions for this meeting must be received by noon on the Thursday before the meeting is held and do not need to specifically relate to items on this agenda. Questioners should provide their name and address and indicate to which Cabinet member the question is to be directed.

The total period of time allocated for public questions will not normally exceed 30 minutes.

None received.

Report of Councillor Peter Cartridge, Chair of the Citizens Advice Lancashire West Task Group and Marianne Hesketh, the Director of Communities.

The Director of Communities and the Chair of the Citizens Advice Lancashire West Task Group submitted a report detailing the work of the Citizens Advice Lancashire West Task Group.

In the absence of the Chair of the Citizens Advice Lancashire West Task Group, Councillor Cartridge, Councillor Vincent introduced the report.

Decisions

Speaking on behalf of Cabinet, Councillor Vincent confirmed that Cabinet accepted the following recommendations (numbered as per the report):

3.1 That Cabinet renew the agreement between the council and Citizens Advice Lancashire West for four years.

3.2 That Cabinet considers increasing the grant contribution payment to Citizens Advice Lancashire West from £30,000 as per previous service agreement renewals (with free use of a number of Fleetwood Market units worth £18,000).

3.3 That within an updated service level agreement, the use of the units at Fleetwood Market be added to formalise the arrangement.

With regard to recommendation 3.4, Councillor Vincent advised that Cabinet could not accept this. The reason for this was outlined in the Grant Funding for Citizens Advise Lancashire West Cabinet report at item 6 of the agenda pack.

Report of Councillor Michael Vincent, Leader of the Council and Marianne Hesketh, Director of Communities.

The Leader of the Council and the Director of Communities submitted a report recommending that the council enters into a four-year grant and service level agreement with Citizens Advice Lancashire West (CALW) for the provision of welfare advice services in the Borough until 31 May 2028.

Decisions

Cabinet agreed:

·         That the council enter into a four-year grant and service level agreement with Citizens Advice Lancashire West (CALW) until 31 May 2028 at a cost of £35,000 per annum.

·         An in-kind contribution (worth an estimated £18,000 per annum) to allow the use of up to two units at Fleetwood Market to facilitate a face-to-face outreach service.

·         That the previously allocated £8,000 for the digital kiosk trial is no-longer being progressed by the CALW and will instead be returned to general balances to support the increased annual grant at 3.1.