Council approves £5k budget to provide food parcels for vulnerable residents during pandemic

The budget, which has been agreed by Cannock Chase Council, would cover the cost of around 250 food parcels to be delivered to residents currently unable to leave their homes.

The authority has set up the Chase Community Vulnerability Hub in response to the pandemic, to provide vital support to residents who need it most. It is working with voluntary groups and Staffordshire County Council to assist residents considered most at risk, its vulnerable housing tenants and those with no family, friends or trusted neighbours who can help.

Council workers and staff from the district’s leisure centres run by Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles currently unable to carry out their usual jobs have also stepped in to roles in the new hub.

Letters have been sent to 2,300 residents classed as vulnerable, who are being contacted to check they have the support they need during the time they have been advised to remain at home to protect themselves from Covid-19.

The authority is responsible for providing support to homeless people and rough sleepers in the district, as well as its vulnerable housing tenants.

Those who need food delivered and are able to pay for it, or who need pharmacy or social support, are being referred to the Chase Coronavirus Support Network (CCSN) or other organisations offering specialist assistance.

Residents unable to afford essential provisions are being referred to food banks in Rugeley and Cannock – and a virtual meeting of the council’s cabinet on April 23 heard there had been an increase in referrals to the food banks in recent weeks.

Nirmal Samrai, the council’s head of housing and partnerships, said: “A substantial amount of work is being done by the voluntary sector, including Chase Coronavirus Support Network, Support Staffordshire, Cannock and Rugeley food banks and the Salvation Army.

“Chase Coronavirus Support Network have seen 6,000 volunteers join – without them we would really be struggling and we would like to pass on our thanks.”

Council leader George Adamson also paid tribute to the work of council staff and residents to keep others safe and services running during the lockdown period.

“Thank you to the people of Cannock Chase – the vast majority are following guidelines to stay safe”, he said. “We are looking forward to the recovery phase when the crisis is over.

“It won’t be easy – some businesses won’t survive and some will struggle. Sadly some people will not survive.

“But we will be here to help everybody in our district to get back to as close to normality as we can.

“I would like to record my thanks to the staff who have been tirelessly through the crisis to ensure as many of our services to the public have continued as possible. Home working has become the norm for a lot of people, but some colleagues have had to go to work and I know the people of Cannock Chase do applaud what you are doing.

“Sixty per cent of business grants (funded by the Government and administered by the council) have been paid out which is incredible – one council had only had 10 per cent of their business grants paid out by April 20.”

Bob Kean, the council’s head of finance, told cabinet members that the grant support paid to local businesses in need of assistance was close to £15m at the time of the meeting. But council staff had also been dealing with a 300 per cent surge in enquiries about council tax benefit, he added.