Minutes of meeting
North Lanarkshire Council · 16 August 2024
Back to Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee — 16 August 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee - Friday, 16 August 2024 1 Friday, 16 August 2024 at 10:00 AM. A Meeting of the WELLBEING AND TACKLING POVERTY COMMITTEE PRESENT Councillor Costello, Convener, Councillor Harmon, Vice Convener, Councillors Barclay, Brannan-McVey, Cairns, Di Mascio, Fotheringham, Goldie, Jones, Khan, Leckie, Loughran, McCluskey, McCrory, Mitchell, Nolan, Patton, Stubbs, Williams and Woods ALSO PRESENT In accordance with Standing Order 64(A) Councillor Robinson attended as substitute for Councillor Keltie. CHAIR Councillor Costello (Convener) presided. IN ATTENDANCE Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice), Chief Officer (People & Resources), Business Finance Manager (Strategy), Business Manager Social Inclusion & Wealth & Education & Families, Assistant Business Manager Social Inclusion & Wealth & Education & Families, Education & Families Manager (2) and Democratic Co-Ordinator. APOLOGIES Councillors Kelly and Keltie Convener's Remarks On behalf of the Committee, the Convener thanked Councillor Woods for her hard work and leadership during her time as Convener and wished her all the best. 1 Declarations of Interest In Terms of the Ethical Standards In Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 Councillor Fortheringham, by virtue of her employment, declared a connection amounting to a declarable interest in respect of item - "Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update - Reduce the Cost of Living", and further advised that she considered the interest so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude her participation in consideration of the matter. 2 Tackling Poverty Team Activity Report 2023 to 2024 There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) (1) providing details of the income maximisation work carried out by the Tackling Poverty Team, Council Services and External Services commissioned by the Council during 2023/24 and the income maximisation work carried out for the benefit of North Lanarkshire residents; and (2) providing an update on the continued national programme of Welfare Reform.
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Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee - Friday, 16 August 2024 2 Decided: (1) That the report be approved; and (2) That the report be remitted to the Integration Joint Board for information. Prior to consideration of the following item of business, Councillor Fortheringham, having declared a connection by virtue of her employment, further declared that she considered the interest so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude her participation in consideration of the matter. 3 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update - Reduce the Cost of Living There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) providing an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, the Local Child Poverty Action report and associated action plans with a particular focus on reducing the Cost of Living Driver. Decided: That the update on the Tackling Poverty Driver ‘Reduce the Cost of Living’ be approved. 4 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026 Update - Income from Social Security Benefits There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) providing an update on the Tackling Poverty Strategy 2023 to 2026, the Local Child Poverty Action report and associated Action Plans with a particular focus on the driver of Increasing Income Via Social Security. During discussion on this matter, a question was asked in respect of which Officers committed to respond outwith the meeting. "Could clarification be provided on whether receipt of Universal Credit and would have a negative impact on applications in respect of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) (Paragraph 2.18)" (Councillor Brannan-McVey) Decided: That the update on the Tackling Driver ‘Increase Income Via Social Security’ be acknowledged. 5 Financial Education Update There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education, Families, Justice & Integrated Practice) (1) providing an update on plans to address Financial Education for children and young people as a key element of the updated Tackling Poverty Strategy, (2) providing an update on the Holistic Driver of the Tackling Poverty Strategy Action Plan, and (3) requesting that a further update be provided to the next meeting of the Committee. Decided: That the update of the action in relation to Financial Education be approved.