UP to £1m should be set aside by Dumfries and Galloway Council to provide cost-of-living payments to the most vulnerable people in the region.
That is the view of Dumfries and Galloway Labour Group members who are calling for cash support to be dished out in the wake of more funding from Westminster.
In the UK Government’s recent spring statement, the Chancellor announced that £500m would be distributed between councils throughout country.
It is unclear how much of this cash-pot Dumfries and Galloway Council will receive, however it is an unexpected bonus which could potentially ease the cost of living crisis for some households.
Last year, the council received an additional £2.2m of covid recovery funding from the Scottish Government at a time when the pandemic was largely over. It was redirected to make £350 payments to thousands of vulnerable people throughout the region to help them pay their bills.
Labour Group finance spokeswoman, Councillor Carolyne Wilson, wants to see this incoming funding from the UK Government be spent in a similar fashion.
She will table a motion at the full council meeting this week, seconded by Labour Group leader Councillor Archie Dryburgh.
It calls on councillors to “agree in principle that the council should make financial resource of up to £1m available for cost-of-living payments to vulnerable households and that a report will be considered by the communities committee to agree the criteria on where payments should be made.”
Councillors will vote on whether to support the motion at the full council meeting today.
