Efforts to provide food to residents in “desperate” need in West Lothian have received nearly a £300,000 boost.
The council has agreed to donate £298,679 worth of aid to the local food network after hearing of a surge in demand this year.
Nahid Hanif, West Lothian council’s anti-poverty manager, told the council executive the money would help meet growing demands in the face of rising costs this coming winter.
The funding for West Lothian Food Network is made up of £223,679 in food supplies and £75,000 for a contingency fund, to be used for unexpected emergencies, usually additional food.
This will support the service until the end of March next year.
Ms Hanif told the executive: “In comparison to this time last year, there is a 13 per cent increase in the number of people accessing network services. The on-going pressure on household budgets, slow wage growth, real term cuts to social security benefits and the increase in living costs means it is expected that this demand for food support will remain for some time.”
West Lothian Food Network was formed in spring 2020 with 24 organisations. Membership has now grown to 46 organisations, which ensures coverage across the whole of West Lothian.
The network aims to support low income households who face on-going food insecurity over a period of time. The distribution includes a combination of cooked food, emergency food parcels, specific foods to meet the requirements of BAME groups, and access to fresh, frozen and ambient foods as well as providing toiletries, cleaning products, baby food and pet food.
From May 2020 to the end of June 2022, the West Lothian Food Network has provided a total of 3,211,008 meals (an average of seven meals per week to 4103 people).
A total of 85 per cent of recipients indicated they were financially at risk, on a low income and/or unemployed.
Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan asked: “The 13 per cent increase in the number of people accessing services. At a recent CPP [Community Planning Partnership] board meeting I’m pretty sure the figures we are seeing now are the kind we usually see in November. Are we anticipating that these numbers are going to go higher, particularly if there is a fuel cap rise?”
Ms Hanif said: “Absolutely. There is concern about the number of people accessing food support increasing from month to month before we get into the winter months. We are working with the West Lothian Food Network to see how we can help people become financially resilient.
Councillor Sullivan asked: “Is the network seeing a change in the service users?”
Ms Hanif replied: “They are now seeing more people who are in work looking for food support.”
Councillor Sullivan added: “This investment in the Food Network is absolutely critical at this juncture. We are all facing rising costs and rising bills and of course, that is weighing heavily on those who can least afford it, so I absolutely think the council should be making this investment to this service at this time.”
Robert de Bold, the SNP depute group leader told the meeting: “Yes I agree with Councillor Sullivan. We support this measure. It would have been interesting and useful to see a more geographic details of the uptake of the service.”
Chairing the meeting Councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick said the funding package would help the growing number of people “who are in desperate need.”
Concluding her report Ms Hanif said: “If approved, the network’s application for funding until March 2023 will enable community providers to work on plans to become more sustainable whilst providing a continued service to those facing food insecurity.”
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