Folkestone & Hythe District Council has reaffirmed its commitment to local volunteers and community groups supporting residents.
Discussing a motion brought to full council by Cllr Rich Holgate on Wednesday 26 November, members unanimously agreed the continued backing of services helping people caught up in the cost-of-living emergency.
These include food bank and pantry provisions, warm spaces, advice by the council’s welfare team and Citizens Advice Bureau – as well as the green grants scheme aiding organisations to reduce energy costs and improve resilience.
There was also a commitment to further enhance partnership working with and within the voluntary sector.
Cllr Rich Holgate said: “We owe a deep debt of gratitude to those that sustain our district through challenging times.
“The best way to honour their contributions is through action by committing to support, enable and champion this sector for the long-term ensuring it remains strong, resilient and ready to serve each generation.”
Leader Cllr Jim Martin will also write to Kent County Council calling for decisions to “abolish or scale down local crisis-loan or similar discretionary emergency assistance schemes” to be reversed.
In September Kent County Council’s Cabinet had agreed alternative sources of funding for its provider of emergency welfare – the Kent Support and Assistance Service – should be explored.
Cllr Mike Blakemore, Cabinet Member for Community and Collaboration, added: “Such measures – impacting residents who find themselves in urgent need of supermarket or gas/electric vouchers – only serve to increase the pressure on voluntary organisations already struggling to meet the needs of those hardest hit.”
An amendment proposed by Cllr Bridget Chapman opposing future “cuts that shift statutory responsibilities onto community groups” and the need for essential services to be “professionally delivered, properly resourced and publicly funded” was also agreed unanimously by council.