The Executive Director of Organisational Development & Corporate Services has submitted a report details the progress with delivery of the Financial Inclusion Strategy Action Plan and seeks agreement to an update of the Action Plan.

Officer Recommendations: That the City Executive Board resolves to:

1.    Approve the updated Financial Inclusion Strategy Action Plan as set out at Appendix 2; and

2.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director, Organisational Development and Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Customer and Corporate Services, to further update the Action Plan as necessary.

The Executive Director of Organisational Development & Corporate Services submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) which detailed the delivery progress of the Financial Inclusion Strategy Action Plan and sought agreement to an update of the Action Plan.

Cllr Brown, Executive Board Member for Customer and Corporate Services presented the report, highlighting the generally positive and successful progress in most areas.

Cllr Simmons, Chair of Scrutiny Committee, said that the Committee had been pleased to note the success of many of the action plan initiatives and that the recommendations focused on areas where they felt there was scope for more to be done.

In response the Board Member for Customer and Corporate Services commented on the individual scrutiny recommendations as follows (the detailed written responses are appended):

·         Recommendation 1: Agreed – as it already happens

·         Recommendation 2: Agreed – there is no directory of affordable childcare but we can direct members to the County Council website.

·         Recommendation 3: Not Agreed – the action plan already covers this.

·         Recommendation 4: Not agreed – but the training would be monitored and reviewed.

·         Recommendation 5: Agreed – the Housing Needs Team already produces performance data relating to this area.

·         Recommendation 6: Not agreed – the Council is fully supportive of the principles behind the recommendation but must fully understand the budget implications of all such proposals.

That the City Executive Board resolved to:

1.    Approve the updated Financial Inclusion Strategy Action Plan as set out at Appendix 2; and

2.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director, Organisational Development and Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Customer and Corporate Services, to further update the Action Plan as necessary.