Agenda item

The Area Council Manager introduced this item and provided the Area Council with an introduction to Barnsley Council’s intention to bid for the Warm Homes Fund Round Two (Preventing Excess Winter Deaths – Strategic Social Isolation Pilot -North Area).  Members were made aware that this will provide the North Area with an opportunity to develop a reducing social isolation project with a housing and energy focus piloted in the North Area.  This is a complementary project linked to the Warm Homes Fund and Woolley Colliery work and looking at social isolation.   

The proposal is for an annual investment of £75,000 for at least three years to fund two social inclusion officers who would receive specialist training to offer home energy assessments and advice.  The work would also include building a network of trained volunteers with knowledge of how to identify and address fuel poverty.  This will ensure that there is active community capacity building within the community that will lead to increased resilience and leave a positive legacy once the project concludes.

RESOLVED that:

(i)             the Area Council should proceed, in principle, with a collaborative pilot project for the North Area that would focus on reducing loneliness and social isolation and preventing excess winter deaths, and

(ii)          The Area Manager be tasked with continuing to develop this piece of work.