Issue - meetings
Officer Overview of the Report
Meeting: 28/07/2026 - Cabinet Member for Finance Decision Meeting (Item 3.)
3. Officer Overview of the Report 
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Officer to provide a brief verbal summary of the report with key details relating to the decision, providing any updates that need to be considered by the Cabinet Member when taking the decision.
Purpose
To update on the implementation of the Crisis and Resilience Fund
Recommendation
That the Cabinet Member for Finance resolves to:
- Note the activity enabled by the Crisis and Resilience Fund
- Agree to the proposed distribution for the 2026 allocation
- Delegate authority to the Head of Economic Development and Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet member, to agree the distribution of smaller grants to enable the Community Coordination theme.
- Delegate authority to the Head of Economic Development and Communities, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to finalise grant terms
Additional documents:
Decision:
The Head of Economic Development and Communities introduced the report and provided background information on the fund. The Cabinet Member was advised that the Crisis and Resilience Fund was a central government funding programme administered through Gloucestershire County Council to support households facing financial challenges, particularly in relation to food costs, utility bills and wider household budget pressures.
It was noted that the fund replaces and expands upon the previous Household Support Fund, which had been introduced following the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the cost-of-living crisis. Whilst the funding mechanism was new, the approach of allocating funding to district and borough councils followed an established pattern used under the Household Support Fund arrangements.
The Cabinet Member heard that the Crisis and Resilience Fund placed greater emphasis on preventative work, with a focus on building household resilience and supporting residents before they reach a point of crisis. The Council's intention was therefore to work with local partners to provide support that improves residents' financial wellbeing and reduces reliance on emergency financial assistance.
The proposed allocations included direct grant awards to a number of established organisations delivering support across the district. These were:
- North Cotswolds Food Bank - £20,000
- South Cotswolds Food Bank - £25,000
- Cotswold Friends - £16,000
- The Churn Neighbourhood Hub - £18,000
- P3 - £21,000
It was explained that funding for the North and South Cotswolds Food Banks would be used to provide embedded advice services, delivered through Citizens Advice, alongside emergency food provision. The objective was to support individuals accessing food banks to improve their financial circumstances and reduce the likelihood of requiring ongoing emergency support. The Officer also noted that the purpose and expected outcomes of each grant were detailed within Annex B of the report.
In addition, a sum of £40,000 had been set aside for smaller grants to community organisations operating at a local settlement level across the district. Officers confirmed that discussions were ongoing with prospective recipients and that there was a need to distribute the funding promptly given that the programme was already one quarter into the financial year.
The report also included provision for:
- Funding to support the work of the Cotswold Food Network, recognising its role in coordinating partners and addressing issues relating to food provision and financial inclusion across the district.
- Funding to support the administration of the programme.
Members were reminded that the recommendations also sought delegated authority for the Head of Economic Development and Communities, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, to determine the allocation of the smaller grants and, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to finalise the associated funding arrangements.