Purpose

Proposal of indicative spend estimates

Decision

RESOLVED:

1)    That the proposed Blackburn with Darwen Crisis and Resilience Fund delivery framework be approved as the Council’s approach to delivering the programme over the three-year funding period.

2)    That the proposed funding allocations for 2026/27, the remaining 2 years of the grant, recognising that this investment profile would form the basis of delivery across the lifetime of the programme, with future allocations informed by local need, programme performance and grant requirement, be approved.

3)    That the commissioning and procurement approach required to deliver the programme, including the development of a borough-wide debt, welfare advice and income maximisation service and other associated resilience and prevention interventions, be approved.

4)    That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director Adults & Health and Director of Finance, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Public Health and the Deputy Director for Legal and Governance, to undertake all necessary procurement, commissioning, contractual and partnership arrangements, and to make amendments to the delivery model where necessary to respond to emerging need, delivery performance or changes to grant requirements, provided such changes remain within the overall objectives, available funding and conditions of the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

5)    That the proposed monitoring, evaluation and performance management arrangements to ensure expenditure be approved, and that the outcomes and impact are reviewed throughout the life of the programme and reported through appropriate governance arrangements.