Purpose

The purpose of the report was to seek approval of the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) delivery plan for 2026/27 and to obtain delegated authority to amend the allocation of funding within the plan to ensure it remained responsive to local needs.

Decision

ORDERED that Executive:

1. Approve the Crisis and Resilience Fund delivery plan for 2026/27.
2. Approve delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer), in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, to adjust funding allocations within the plan as required.

Reasons for the decision

REASONS

The decisions were taken to enable the Council to access and distribute Government funding effectively, comply with national requirements, support vulnerable residents experiencing financial hardship, and promote long-term financial resilience within the community.

Alternative options considered

OPTIONS

The Executive considered the option of not approving the delivery plan. This was not supported, as without an approved scheme the Council would be unable to utilise the allocated funding to support vulnerable residents and meet Government requirements.

The option of outsourcing delivery of the scheme was also considered but not recommended, as the Council was best placed to deliver the majority of the scheme due to its access to data, integration with existing support services and established relationships with residents and partners.