(Joint report of Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Transformation)
The report provided details of the new Winter Grant Fund and set out a process to ensure that vulnerable households, particularly those with children, were not struggling to pay for food or fuel over the winter months. Full guidance for the grant was attached at Annex 1 to the report.
Groups and organisations working in the community had been invited to submit bids based on a number of requirements, as detailed in 1.1.3 of the report. A summary of the applications received was set out in 1.2.1 of the report. The report highlighted that the application by Aylesford Parish Council had not met the scheme criteria but could be incorporated with the application submitted by St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Aylesford in respect of a new food bank.
Following consideration by the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member for Finance, Innovation and Property resolved that:
(1) Covid Winter Grants be awarded in accordance with the approved bids listed at 1.2 of the report, with the exception of the Aylesford Parish Council bid of £3,000 which was to be added to the bid from St Peter and St Pauls Church; and
(2) the balance of £5,600.55 be held on reserve for use as necessary within the parameters of the Scheme under the direction of the Chief Executive or the Director of Finance and Transformation.