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Details

Status:
Implemented
Business Item
East Suffolk Citizens Advice Review
Ref.
ES/0611
Is a Key Decision:
Yes
Decision Type:
Committee
Decision Maker:
Cabinet
Date of Decision
Tue 5 Jan 2021
Show on Forward Plan
Yes
Description
Report of the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Communities, Leisure and Tourism
Matter for Decision (to consider...)

1. That Cabinet note the findings of the Touchstone Renard Review of Citizens Advice in East Suffolk.

 

2. That an additional sum of £5,700 from within existing budgets be made available to enable Touchstone Renard to continue to work with the  three CAs on the next phase of transformation – specifically to prepare a phased implementation plan and a fuller business case for merger. The Council expects that additional funding, if required, should be provided by the three Citizens Advice.

 

3. That East Suffolk Council should continue to support Touchstone Renard in working with the three CAs to define the scope of the next phase of transformation review.

 

4. That an additional one-off payment of £16,000 be made to North East Suffolk Citizens Advice for the financial year 2021/22, on condition that they also explore other avenues of funding (including the Ropes Trust).

Service Area
Communities
Service Area 2
Not Applicable
Contact for Background Papers:

None

Background Papers:

None

Is Decision District Wide
Yes
Decision Made

1. That the findings of the Touchstone Renard Review of Citizens Advice in East Suffolk be noted.

 

2. That an additional sum of £5,700 from within existing budgets be made available to enable Touchstone Renard to continue to work with the three Citizens Advice on the next phase of transformation – specifically to prepare a phased implementation plan and a fuller business case for merger. The Council expects that additional funding, if required, should be provided by the three Citizens Advice.

 

3. That East Suffolk Council continues to support Touchstone Renard in working with the three Citizens Advice to define the scope of the next phase of transformation review.

 

4. That an additional one-off payment of £16,000 be made to North East Suffolk Citizens Advice for the financial year 2021/22, on condition that they also explore other avenues of funding (including the Ropes Trust).

Reason for Decision

1. The recommendation of report ES/0611 was based upon an initial review of Citizens Advice in East Suffolk that was rooted in the recognition of the importance of the support that Citizens Advice provide to individuals and families in East Suffolk, particularly those who are vulnerable for a range of reasons, and even more so in the context of Covid-19.

 

2. Additional funding had been made available by East Suffolk Council to support the transformation process which enabled Touchstone Renard to be commissioned to support this work. The favoured option in report ES/0611 was clearly for a merger of the three Citizens Advice and it was felt that there had been huge benefits in having an independent and objective organisation to support the process thus far and that ideally this support would continue. There was still £300 remaining from the original commission and therefore it was proposed that East Suffolk Council provide a further £5,700 to give a total of £6,000 for Stage 2 of the process to be matched by the three Citizens Advice from their individual budgets as necessary.

 

3. In terms of the request from Citizens Advice North East Suffolk that the funding be rebalanced between the three Citizens Advice to better reflect the population in the catchment area of each, it was felt that doing so prior to a merger would significantly impact the two southern Citizens Advice at a time when their services are needed more than ever and therefore it was proposed that East Suffolk Council should allocate an additional one off, non-recurrent payment of £16,000 in 2021/22 to Citizens Advice North East Suffolk on condition that they explore other avenues of funding secured by the other two Citizens Advice, particularly the Ropes Trust. This funding would not be added to the annual funding allocation for Citizens Advice services in East Suffolk.

 

4. It was strongly believed that the proposed transformation would release capacity and resources in order to enable Citizens Advice to work more closely with the Council on preventative activity to allow it to target those who may be in need of support more directly, and earlier (i.e. before they reach crisis point) than ever before.

 
Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

1. The other main options considered were to a) retain Citizens Advice funding at the current level i.e. with no requirement or support for transformation or b) to rebalance the funding available across East Suffolk for the 2020-21 financial year prior to the outcomes of the transformation work to be undertaken over the next twelve months.

 

2. There is a clear precedent, demonstrated by the formation of the single East Suffolk Council and successful transformation of Citizens Advice services both in Suffolk and nationally, for reducing the number of organisations whilst maintaining (and indeed increasing) both the number of locations from which key services are delivered and the range of services provided, including additional prevention and early intervention activity.

Any Declarations of Interest Declared

Councillor Tony Cooper declared a Local Non-Pecuniary Interest in the item as a member of the Leiston, Saxmundham and District Citizens Advice Board.

 

Councillor Mark Jepson declared a Local Non-Pecuniary Interest in the item as a member of the Felixstowe Citizens Advice Board.

Any Dispensation Granted
None

Decision Criteria

This Decision does not contain any decision criteria records.

Wards

Aldeburgh and Leiston; Beccles and Worlingham; Bungay and Wainford; Carlford and Fynn Valley; Carlton and Whitton; Carlton Colville; Deben; Eastern Felixstowe; Framlingham; Gunton and St Margarets; Halesworth and Blything; Harbour and Normanston; Kelsale and Yoxford; Kesgrave; Kessingland; Kirkley and Pakefield; Lothingland; Martlesham and Purdis Farm; Melton; Orwell and Villages; Oulton Broad; Rendlesham and Orford; Rushmere St Andrew; Saxmundham; Southwold; Western Felixstowe; Wickham Market; Woodbridge; Wrentham, Wangford and Westleton

Topics

This Decision does not contain any Topic records

Overview and Scrutiny

This Decision does not contain any Overview and Scrutiny records.

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Decision History

Date & Time CreatedUser Full NameStatus DescriptionDetails
 Page 3 of 5, items 21 to 30 of 48.
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedMartlesham and Purdis Farm
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedMelton
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedOrwell and Villages
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedOulton Broad
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedRendlesham and Orford
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedRushmere St Andrew
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedSaxmundham
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedSouthwold
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedWestern Felixstowe
16/12/2020 15:19:20Matt MakinWard AddedWickham Market

Approval/Comments

No history found.