Wealden District Council has expressed its “serious concern” at the Government’s decision to remove support from the East Sussex scheme that has helped 168 Wealden residents get through a short term financial crisis in the past year.
This includes 35 hardships cases which could have led to Wealden people becoming homeless.
The Council is worried that removal of government support will directly affect the Discretionary East Sussex Support Scheme at a time when local authorities are already operating under severe financial pressure.
“The DESS scheme provides early intervention when people are faced with an unforeseen financial crisis,” said Councillor Graham Wells, at the full meeting of Wealden District Council on 28 May. “It provides them with vouchers to provide goods and services, rather than cash. Without it, their only other option will be to go to the loan sharks.”
The Council heard that in one hardship case, the DESS scheme had been called on to help someone who had just 44 pence to last them until the end of the week.
Government support is expected to be reintroduced in 2017, when Universal Credit is introduced, but until then there will be no Government money for such a scheme in East Sussex.
Wealden Council points out that until April 2013, the Government provided help through Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans.
The Discretionary East Sussex Support Scheme was set up in April 2013 using just under £1m of support from the government.
Through a network of pubic and voluntary sector partners including local councils, Citizens Advice, children’s centres, advice agencies, housing associations and foodbanks, it helped over 1,400 households last year.
No cash payments are made through the scheme.
Instead it provides food, gas and electricity vouchers, baby items, essential furniture, travel, rental advances and deposits to enable homeless people to find permanent accommodation. It has provided support to over 1400 households in East Sussex over the past year and has either prevented or resolved homelessness for nearly 400 households.
“Wealden District Council will not be able to offset these costs unless we make cuts elsewhere,” warned Councillor Wells, who proposed that the Council Leader, Bob Standley, write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to voice the Council’s “serious concern” about the withdrawal of funding.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Nick Collinson, and passed unanimously.
“This scheme gives the help that people need, and by providing it at the early stages of any crisis, it is far more successful,” said Councillor Collinson. “It is an example of a scheme that works and it should be kept going.”
The Wealden Strategic Partnership has also written to the Secretary of State, Eric Pickles, to express its concern about the future of the Discretionary East Sussex Support Scheme.
IMAGE CREDIT : WEALDEN DISTRICT COUNCIL
