There’s still no confirmation when Glasgow will receive resources from the Scottish Government to help the city council fund its holiday food and activity programme this summer.
A meeting was held at the beginning of the month between First Minister Humza Yousaf and the leader and depute leader of the city council - councillor Susan Aitken and councillor Ricky Bell - to discuss the delay in funding which they believe will come to an end “soon”.
Glasgow City Administration Committee [CAC] previously approved a request to spend £1.6 million of the council’s own money to pay for the scheme this summer.
READ MORE: Glasgow council frustration at delay in 'holiday hunger' funding
During the most recent full council meeting, Labour councillor Eunis Jassemi asked councillor Aitken for an update on the discussions held with the First Minister on Friday, June 2.
Councillor Jassemi said: “The leader will appreciate that at CAC the city treasurer pinned a lot of hope on the meeting with the First Minister to provide certainty to families and to the third sector about the funding for October and spring children’s holiday programme.
“Did the First Minister provide that clarity? Did the First Minister commit to delivering the £1.5 million to Glasgow for this year’s programme? Did he commit to the funding that would be recurring? Will any funding that comes to the administration have any strings attached to it?
“Schools will close for the school break tomorrow [Friday, June 23] and yet we still have no certainty about what funding is coming and when?”
The council leader assured the chamber that she and councillor Bell had had “constructive and positive” discussions with Mr Yousaf about a range of issues affecting the city including the delayed funding for the holiday food and activity programme.
Councillor Aitken said: “There was a delay to the announcement of funding for the holiday activity programme from the Scottish Government. This administration started the programme, it predated national funding.
“We have always pioneered holiday food programmes and we have always funded it over and above what has come from the Scottish Government.
“Councillor Bell rightly expressed his frustration that we didn’t at that time have clarity from the Scottish Government about when their funding was coming but there isn’t any doubt that the summer holiday food and activity programme is going ahead because we agreed at the city administration committee that it is going ahead.
“Councillor Bell raised the same points with the First Minister. The First Minister took those on board and I understand that the funding is forthcoming and it has been in discussion through the settlement and distribution group.
“While the papers haven’t yet been issued my expectation is that all that remains is for that funding to go through the usual COSLA allocation process. It is our expectation that that delay will come to an end very shortly.”
