Minutes:
Members
received a verbal update on the current position regarding Welsh Government
funding and policy announcements, including grants to small businesses,
Economic Resilience Fund and NNDR business rates relief, from the Director of Finance
and Corporate Services.
It
was noted that Welsh Government were looking at making further grant awards to
different bodies and organisations in the coming weeks, in addition to the
£24.4 million already paid out to 2221 organisations.
An
update was given on the funding to the Council and the services it provides
(local government finance funding):
·
£30 million was made available initially (£7 million for free school
meals, £10 million for homeless and £13 million for general services),
·
£40 million further was made available for the social care hardship fund
to end of May,
·
£33 million further for free school meals until end of August,
·
£3 million for IT for vulnerable children who have no access to
technology.
Further
Welsh Government funding announcements were expected shortly.
Members
noted that £500 would be paid to care workers by the Welsh Government – it was
anticipated this money would go directly to the residential care providers for
distribution, as the service was no longer provided in house within the
Council. Eligibility for the payment was as yet unclear, but further updates
would be provided to Members when available.
£63,000
had been reimbursed to the Council from the Welsh Government for the month of
March for increased expenditure due to the Covid 19
pandemic, and a claim for £814,000 had been submitted for April.
Information
had been submitted via the Welsh Local Government Association to the Welsh
Government regarding loss of income and the impact on Council Tax support and
collection – the Director was awaiting clarification re any possible funding to
come out of this.
A
budget monitoring review would take place before the end of May to identify the
consequences of these issues on Council budgets. The Director advised Members
that an early budget monitoring report would be presented at the next meeting
of Cabinet for discussion.
Decision:
That
the verbal update be noted.