Angus Council is looking at how to maintain fuel-support funding for locals for the rest of winter after the first amount allocated was spent.
At the end of June last year, members approved distribution of £1.672 million from the Scottish Government Local Authority Covid-19 Economic Recovery (LACER) Fund.
But a report written by the local authority’s Depute Chief Executive, Mark Armstrong, shows that £1,567,000m of this has already been allocated due to need.
With high demand for winter heating, and bumper bills arriving at homes, £390,319 of £400,000 from the LACER Fund allocated to fuel poverty support, has been spent.
Deep struggle
The impact of continuing economic pressures on people across the region is also starkly clear in answers provided by headteachers at local schools.
They were asked to describe the “main cause of this financial hardship”. Answers given in April 2022 were compared with those offered in December.
Responses describe communities in a deep struggle against soaring fuel and food prices.
Families are forced to make choices between heating and eating, and other bleak decisions on essentials.
Councillors approved Mr Armstrong’s report with questions asked on whether other sources of funding were available to continue meeting the community’s needs.
‘Bills coming in, weather still cold’
Scottish Labour councillor for Monifieth and Sidlaw, Heather Doran, queried how “agile other funding can be” as the fuel poverty funding has already almost been used up.
She asked: “If that fund has been been spent and is maxed out, is there space for other funds that are maybe underspent and to direct funding towards one-off support payments for fuel poverty?
“I’m conscious of that fact that we’re now in January and bills for December and January are coming in and the weather is still cold.”
Mark Armstrong said: “There is a concern across the community partnership, that a lot of the intervention that we’re putting in place is directly funded through this LACR funding and that’s really welcomed.
“But there is a risk, that when that funding is completed – how do we ensure, if the situation is still ongoing within families and households – that we can sustain this level of support. So, we’re aware of that as a risk.”
Audrey Michie, service leader of vibrant communities said: “There is a very small surplus within the LACR funding that we’re currently looking at the moment as a top up.”
She continued: “We’re working behind the scenes to try and leverage other monies.
“There’s not a lot of funding sources open at the moment for that type of funding, but the project is ready to go, should any external funding come available.” she concluded.
