Agenda item

To agree an updated Service Level Agreement with Citizens Advice Tendring for 2022/23.

Decision:

RESOLVED that -

 

a)  Tendring District Council enters into a Service Level Agreement with Citizens Advice Tendring for a further year from 1st April 2022 on the terms and conditions, as set out in the updated agreement shown in Appendix C to item A.3 of the Report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder; and

 

b)  the Assistant Director (Partnerships) be authorised to sign that Agreement on the Council’s behalf.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.3) which sought its agreement for an updated Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Citizens Advice Tendring (CAT) for 2022/23.

 

Members were aware that Tendring District Council (TDC) had provided grant funding to CAT backed by an annually agreed SLA, for a number of years. That arrangement supported the provision of free, confidential and impartial advice to residents across a wide range of issues.  Since 2013/14, the core grant awarded each year had been £144,000, payable in two instalments of £72,000.

It was reported that the SLA had been thoroughly reviewed in 2017/18 following substantial changes in the governance, management and service delivery of CAT. The revised SLA for 2017/18 had been agreed by Cabinet at its meeting held on 17 March 2017. All subsequent SLA’s had remained largely the same as the 2017/18 SLA with minor changes only, and all had been agreed by the relevant Portfolio Holder.

 

Cabinet was informed that Schedule 2 (2.8) of the SLA provided for reductions in CAT core services beyond their control. On 31 March 2020, CAT had reported that they had been operating a reduced service since 16 March 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown. This had involved a temporary cessation of all face-to-face advice. CAT staff had been deployed to remote home working, providing advice via email, telephone and in writing. The CAT‘s office closure and suspension of services at their outreach sites had remained in force until recently.  A number of key paid employees and volunteer staff had been lost during the pandemic but numbers were  now nearly back to pre-Covid levels, however, some were still undertaking the intensive training that they needed before they were able to give advice. A new, streamlined, training programme had been introduced so that new officers could be fast-tracked. A hybrid service would be in operation where there was a choice for residents - they could either ‘drop-in’ to surgeries and/or also get advice over the telephone or by email. Eventually, a community team would also be created this year (CAT were seeking funding) as the Families Advisor had proven very successful and there was a real need for that service.

 

In addition, and in order to ensure efficiencies and improve on last year’s performance there had been a review of the telephone service. One solution was to implement a ‘triage team’ which would free up advisers and supervisors who could better use their skills elsewhere. The pandemic had seen CAT move their support from mostly in person drop-in during 2019/20, to mostly via email during 2020/21, and for 2021/22 had delivered most support via the telephone. The local telephone number for CAT had been publicised more widely rather than the Essex-wide contact number. The CAT team also now included a Warm Homes Adviser. This was a 2 year funded post to assist clients with income generation, accessing energy grants, switching suppliers and insulation advice which would end in October 2022. CAT expected this post to be re-funded at the end of the current contract.

 

It was felt that, during the Covid-19 pandemic, CAT had remained a vital information and advice service to the residents of Tendring. They had helped many people to navigate their way around both established and entirely new challenges such as furlough, Government schemes for the self-employed, redundancy, claiming benefits, dealing with debt, accessing food and services and housing issues. 

 

CAT had produced a statistical dashboard, (the template used nationally), for activity during the years 2020/21 and 2021/22, which were attached at Appendices A and B respectively to the Portfolio Holder’s report.

 

It was reported that, in 2020/21, the value applied to the benefits advice given had totalled £14,100,450 based on the CAT calculation method. In addition to the general advice statistics shown in Appendix B, specialist service statistics for 2021/22 included:

 

     Debt Managed - £820,238

     Debt Written Off - £724,175

     Benefits Gained £4,124,047

 

It was noted that less people had been having employment issues over the past twelve months due to clearer Government guidance around Covid-19 and the ending of furlough. Current trends had seen an increase in debt clients over the past twelve months. This had included an increase in clients with rent and council tax arrears. 30.4% of households in Tendring were ‘fuel poor’ following the new electricity price cap being implemented, this was equivalent to 67,144 households in the area. The cost of a standard bill would rise by 50%. (A household was in fuel poverty if more than 10% of its income was spent on energy bills. Average fuel bills were set to reach almost £2000 per year.) It had also been noticed that more Section 21s were being issued by landlords but not for rent arrears. (A section 21 was the notice which a landlord must give to their tenant to begin the process to take possession of a property let on an assured shorthold tenancy without providing a reason for wishing to take possession).

 

Cabinet was advised that CAT would be providing interpreters to help Ukrainian refugees relocated to the Tendring District. The following services had also been developed during the last twelve months:-

 

 

Families Adviser

Mon

Barnardos @ Sydney House

Tue

Jaywick Sands Community Forum

Wed

Mental Health Hub Clacton

Thur

Walton Community Forum

 

Domestic Abuse Adviser

Tue

Carnarvon Road / Mental Health Hub

Wed

Outreach venues

Thur

Carnarvon Road / Mental Health Hub

 

Warm Homes Adviser

Mon - Wed

Remote appointments, support and advice

 

In terms of assurance, Cabinet was informed that CAT were audited quarterly for advice given by Citizens Advice National on a RAYG rating. CAT had scored green every quarter which was classed as excellent at 75% or higher.  CAT were also audited yearly on 9 areas of the organisation again on a RAYG rating, achieving green overall and scoring excellent for 7 of the 9 areas. This represented the best score the organisation had ever had and demonstrated continuous improvment during difficult times.

 

The reviewed SLA for 2022/23 was attached at Appendix C to the Portfolio Holder’s report and was largely similar to that of last year. Schedule 2 (section 2.4) reflected the current reduction in drop-in services and referenced CAT’s intention to increase these as staffing allowed. Schedule 2 (section 2.8) retained a reference to the impact of the pandemic on the service’s availability.

 

A number of case studies were provided in Appendix D which demonstrated the range of advice available to Tendring residents and the results that could be obtained.

Having duly considered all of the information and proposals and advice contained in the Partnerships Portfolio Holder’s report and it being considered that CAT continued to support Tendring residents and offered value for money:-

 

It was moved by Councillor McWilliams, seconded by Councillor Bray and:-

 

RESOLVED that -

 

a)  Tendring District Council enters into a Service Level Agreement with Citizens Advice Tendring for a further year from 1st April 2022 on the terms and conditions, as set out in the updated agreement shown in Appendix C to item A.3 of the Report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder; and

 

b)  the Assistant Director (Partnerships) be authorised to sign that Agreement on the Council’s behalf.

 

Supporting documents: