Issue - meetings

Members will consider the Executive Decision relating to the Welfare Advice Services Review.

A minute extract from the meeting of the Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission held on 9 March 2015, which asked for this matter to be considered, is also attached for information.

The Committee received details of the decision taken by the City Mayor to approve proposals for a review of the Welfare Advice Service.

The Chair introduced this item, outlining three main areas of concern about the impact of the review:-

·           One of the reasons given for the review of the service was that welfare rights advisors were expensive, due to reliance on experienced staff.  The service was accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which created additional administrative tasks, (for example, opening files and sending regular written updates to service users).  It was proposed that this service would be replaced with Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) volunteers;

·           The service currently found approximately £5 million in benefits for the city’s residents; and

·           The welfare rights advisors undertook significant background work for claimants.

At the invitation of the Chair, Councillor Aqbany addressed the Committee, explaining that he was a former welfare rights worker, having worked with St Peter’s Tenants Association for 13 years and in a private capacity for a further four.  He currently worked with a high number of people in his ward on welfare rights issues. 

He then made the following points:-

o    Cases dealt with by welfare advice workers were often complex and the in-house service were best equipped  to deal with these because of their expertise.

o    The Council sign-posted people to other providers for guidance and advice, but this could be difficult to do, as other advice providers were overburdened with work;

o    Recent welfare reforms meant that a lot of benefit recipients needed specialist help.  This could also impact on their ability to pay rent and Council tax; and

o    If the changes proposed were made, the Council would be in a position of picking and choosing who was helped.

At the invitation of the Chair, Gaynor Garner of Unison addressed the Committee.  She drew attention to comments on the decision from Unison, which had been circulated before the meeting.  Details of two case studies submitted by Unison were tabled at the meeting and are attached at the end of these minutes for information.

Gaynor Garner explained that Unison was concerned about the proposal to move to CAB volunteers providing advice and away from Council staff doing this.  She noted that the report stated that there currently was a duplication of services, but what was meant by this was not explained.  In summary, it appeared that the review was budget driven, not service driven, and would impact on the most vulnerable in the city.

The following comments were made in discussion and responded to by Councillor Russell, Assistant Mayor (Neighbourhood Services):-

§   The Council had, for many years, supported the welfare advice service.  This helped ensure that people received what they were entitled to, as it was known that many benefits went unclaimed every year in the city.  It was recognised that savings needed to be made in services, but there was continuing and increasing concern about changes to welfare benefits, including the imminent introduction of universal credit.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105