Decision details

The report the Director of Customer and Advice Services was presented by the Executive Member (Customer and Advice Services), Councillor Graham Dunn.

Decision: Approval granted for Chorley Council to be a Delivery Partner in accordance with the Delivery Partnership Agreement detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

Reasons for decision: All local authorities where Universal Credit is being rolled out have been approached by the Department of Works and Pensions to enter into a Delivery Partnership Agreement to the end of the 2014/15 financial year, to ensure that claimants of Universal Credit can readily obtain the support they need to access universal credit services. Council’s signing up to the agreement is reimbursed for a range of services provided. As far as the Council are aware, all local authorities to date where the roll-out has occurred including neighbouring authorities have entered into a Delivery Partnership Agreement.

Alternative options considered and rejected: Universal Credit is a new central government policy which is now rolling out across the North West. The Council could refuse to enter into the agreement. However, this would not stop the roll-out of Universal Credit in Chorley and would impact negatively on Chorley claimants as there would be less support on offer to those claimants than Universal Credit claimants in neighbouring authorities.