Issue - meetings

The report details the work of the Cost of Living Executive Working Group and the information gathered by the Group since September 2022 and recommends that the work be continued.

Recommendation

That the Executive:

1.         approves the report of the Cost of Living Executive Working Group; and

2.         agrees to re-establish the Cost of Living Executive Working Group (CoLEWG) in order for it to continue its work during 2023/24.

The Executive RESOLVED that:

1.         the report of the Cost of Living Executive Working Group be approved, and

2.         the Cost of Living Executive Working Group be re-established for 2023/24.

Reason for the decision: to ensure that the effects of the cost of living crisis continues to be well understood by the council and action is taken to alleviate the impact where possible.

This matter is not available for call-in.

The Leader introduced the report from the Cost of Living Executive Working Group, which had been set up to explore ways in which the council could help residents impacted in various ways by the cost of living crisis, particularly since the pandemic. The Working Group had enabled a large amount of data to be collated and provide a better understanding of the impact of the cost of living crisis on residents, and on organisations that were providing support, such as Citizens Advice and the various food banks and community fridges. The Leader noted that the cost of living crisis was far from over, and therefore he was minded to re-establish the Working Group for the new council year. He also noted that Citizens Advice Waverley had recently merged with Citizens Advice Guildford and Ash to form Citizens Advice South West Surrey, and he would like to explore further this change and the impact locally.

The Executive RESOLVED that:

1.         the report of the Cost of Living Executive Working Group be approved, and

2.         the Cost of Living Executive Working Group be re-established for 2023/24.

Reason for the decision: to ensure that the effects of the cost of living crisis continues to be well understood by the council and action is taken to alleviate the impact where possible.