Agenda item

Consider progress report for 2019/20.  (Report and appendices attached)

With reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of 12 September 2019, copies of the Local Child Poverty Annual Progress Report 2019/20 and appendices had been circulated.  The covering report explained that the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 required local authorities and Health Boards to jointly prepare a Local Child Poverty Action Plan Report and an Annual Progress Report.  The Report for 2019/20 was the second Annual Report for the Scottish Borders and provided the Community Planning Partnership and Scottish Government with an update on progress made within the Action Plan as well as an outline of proposed actions for 2020/21.  Jenni Craig, SBC Service Director Customer & Communities, gave a brief presentation outlining the background to the Plan; national context; summary of targets; the local context facts and figures; and progress report highlights.  A small snapshot was given of the report contents.  There was a need to catch up on the Action Plan for this year due to Covid and the aim was to bring that Action Plan to the meeting of the Strategic Board in November.  That would allow a focus on the impact of Covid and measures needed to be taken moving forward to alleviate that.  Members welcomed the progress report.

AGREED to endorse the Scottish Borders Local Child Poverty Annual Progress Report for 2019/20.