Draft Poverty Plan Survey

We asked

We asked your views on the Draft Poverty Plan for 2021 – 2023 that had been prepared by the Council setting out the objectives and actions that should be prioritised over the next two years to tackle poverty in East.

You Said

Twentynine individuals and six organisations responded to the survey. Organisations also took the opportunity to comment on the draft Plan at various meetings. In addition, the views of people with lived experience were recorded and presented as evidence to the consultation. A full report on the results of the consultation, including the comments made by respondents to the online consultation and people with lived experience has been lodged in the Council’s Members Library Service.

The consultation showed overwhelming support for the outcomes and proposed actions detailed in the Draft Poverty Plan.

The common theme of responses to the consultation is that there is a growing urgency that concerted action is needed to tackle the impact of the rise in poverty as a result of the pandemic and other factors such as price inflation and withdrawal of the £20 Universal Credit boost.

We Did

The final version of the Plan – Our policies, plans and strategies - Poverty Plan 2021-2023 | East Lothian Council – was amended to take account of the responses to the consultation.  The amendments included: slightly amended wording for two of the outcomes; clarification that the Plan includes the Child Poverty Plan; clarification that the Plan takes an early intervention and prevention approach to tackling the causes and impact of poverty; and the addition of quotes from people with lived experience to show the impact of poverty on people’s lives and reflect the need for concerted action.

A new East Lothian Poverty Partnership is to be formed with representatives from the Council, NHS, and voluntary and community sectors to review progress with delivering the Poverty Plan and ensuring that concerted action is being taken to reduce poverty in East Lothian.  The Partnership will also be charged with ensuring that the views of people with lived experience are heard and taken into account by the Council and East Lothian Partnership.