Chiefs have defended a £3 million cost of living support package for residents after a Tory councillor called it a ‘reckless use of money’.
Oldham’s cabinet agreed to invest millions in its response to the unfolding cost of living crisis, which has seen funding provided to Oldham Foodbank and the creation of ‘warm banks’ – spaces for residents to go to freely if they are struggling to afford to heat their homes – in all of the borough’s libraries.
However at a meeting of the full council, opposition councillors were critical of the support package, agreed at the end of September.
Councillor Brian Hobin, leader of the Failsworth Independent Group, said: “I disagree on how the funds are being used, and whether the leader’s idea of what residents require is being met.
“Having received a nice glossy leaflet which is more like a Labour party newsletter, I still wonder if the funds are being used in the most productive and appropriate way.”
During the meeting Conservative Coun Max Woodvine also took aim at the pamphlet detailing the cost of living response, describing it as a ‘publicity stunt’ and asked whether the investment was a ‘reckless use of money’.
He said £400k of the funding was from the government and asked whether the leader had written a ‘thank you card to the prime minister’.
“Due to the failing leadership of the council, Oldham council is forecast to overspend by at least £6m in this financial year so does the leader agree with me that this is a reckless use of reserves and taxpayers money?” he added.
In response council leader Amanda Chadderton said: “Oldham food bank has fed 14,700 families across this borough since the start of this year, that’s already more than they did for the whole of last year.
“I’d actually argue this isn’t enough money to deal with the cost of living crisis, this will go some way to alleviate the pressure on our families but it will absolutely not be able to lift our families out of poverty.
“No it’s absolutely not a waste of public money. This booklet is part of a communications campaign, we have to show to people that help is out there.”
The report to cabinet stated that £455,000 was to be used to expand the council’s telephone helpline, provide more face to face surgeries and weekly advice sessions in all districts with the recruitment of seven additional advisors.
And £600k is being invested in the council’s community engagement team which is tasked with reaching out to residents in their homes to check on their wellbeing, signpost them to support and provide advice. This would start by targeting those most in need, including the elderly.
Coun Hobin asked how many calls had been received by this ‘specialist helpline for which almost half a million pounds has been allocated’.
Coun Chadderton initially said she could not provide the number of calls, but later confirmed the council had received 1,700 calls since the money was pledged.
“What is coming forward is a monthly dashboard to tell us how many calls are coming in, where they are coming from, how many people that we’re helping, what’s coming back from the doorstep engagement team,” she added.
“We know over the coming months and next 18 months some of that will have to be moved and realigned but we don’t know where to support them if we don’t know what that looks like.”
Coun Mark Kenyon, Liberal Democrat member for Saddleworth West and Lees said that the budget is ‘less than half’ of the £3m announced; at £1.2m, and asked why warm spaces in libraries were not being kept open longer than their standard hours.
Coun Chadderton replied: “I cannot believe a Liberal Democrat has stood up to slag off a £3m investment in our cost of living campaign.
“The full thing is £3m but it’s over a two year period. Because the reality is it’s not just the next six months that our residents are going to suffer and that’s why we don’t want to withdraw funding and support that we’ve got in.”
On warm banks she said opening times were being monitored on a ‘weekly basis’ and that with clocks going back it was likely that some of the sites would amend their times but on an area-by-area basis.
Coun Hobin also asked whether Coun Chadderton would commit to a council tax freeze for the next two years.
Coun Chadderton responded: “I’m not from a party that promises unfunded tax cuts so I won’t be promising a council tax freeze and it would highly irresponsible for me to do that.
“We don’t know what the local government funding settlement is going to look like in two years time and we have to wait for that before any budget decisions are made for next April or the April following. ”
The £3m package of support mostly focuses on prevention but also aims to increase the amount of help offered to those most vulnerable to the cost-of-living crisis.
It has seen the Warm Homes Oldham programme double in size with more energy and fuel advisors, increased grants to help with emergency fuel vouchers, boiler replacements, and retrofitting and repairs to help residents with fuel costs.
Additional funding would also be allocated for grant and support schemes to provide ‘urgent assistance’ to residents in crisis.
These would help with the costs of things like food, fuel, housing and childcare and can be accessed through the council’s helpline, in-person advice sessions and through voluntary organisations.
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