Policy and Resources Committee update
The Policy and Resources Committee for Wirral Council met at Wallasey Town Hall on Wednesday 11th September 2024.
The full agenda for this committee meeting is available on the council website - the meeting was also live webcast and can be watched back online via the link on the agenda.
Items on the agenda included:-
Supporting statutory SEND services
Full details can be found in the committee report
Members of the committee received the report providing an overview of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities both locally and nationally specifically describing a significant increase in demand for SEND services which locally means additional investment in the service would be required.
After a debate, members voted to agree the recommendation to approve an additional investment of £1.1m from the Strategic Holding Account Contingency fund for 2024-25. It was also agreed that the requested budgets should be addressed in future budget rounds to meet the additional demands.
Maximising income from benefits and allowances to help alleviate poverty in Wirral
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report provided an update to members on an item that had been agreed at full Council in December 2023 that set out a way in which the council could address the issue of significant amounts of benefit payments going unclaimed. This would be by commissioning an organisation called Policy in Practice Ltd to partner with the council on a series of campaigns to help residents maximise their income by claiming their full allowances under Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Carers Allowance, Free School Meals, Council Tax Support and other benefits. Their Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) programme can provide data that will enable the council to better identify residents in need of support.
Committee was asked to note the appointment of Policy in Practice in response to the resolution at council in December 2023 and members did so by assent.
