Report examines council work

A report provides information on recent work by North Lanarkshire Council and its community planning partners.

The annual report details the creation of local partnership teams which work with community boards to help them achieve their objectives, the implementation of a new framework for demonstrating improved outcomes for communities, communication and support with various organisations which help families through the cost of living crisis and a conference for those involved with care experienced children.

It covers 2022-2023, at which time NHS Lanarkshire was reporting the highest rate of coronavirus cases in Scotland.

However, partner organisations were able to slowly ease off pandemic restrictions, allowing a gradual return to in-person meetings to discuss the effects of Covid on communities and also mitigate the cost of living crisis.

Using its own resources and a £5 million Scottish Government grant, as well as support from partners, several initiatives were put into effect.

Examples of support provided by the council include £150 fuel hardship payments to people working on low incomes who received no other benefits. By March 2023 almost 5000 people had applied.

In November 2022 the council paid out more than £1.5 million to families with children receiving free school meals at a rate of £125 per child.

Pensions also received money in the form of £100 fuel grants totalling almost £900,000.

A further £450,000 was provided for community drop-in points between November 2022 and March 2023, with funding also available to community organisations to allow extended opening hours, hot drinks and food.

Seventy groups participated and they also received training in financial advice.