Calls for the City Council to “re-commit” to a “universal approach” for holiday food provision has been issued by Glasgow Labour after recent figures showed that 32% of children in the city were living in poverty.
A report published by the End Child Poverty coalition revealed that after housing costs, continued inflation and the cost of living crisis were likely to “exacerbate” child poverty.
In a motion set to be presented to Glasgow's full council meeting on Thursday, Bailie Sharon Greer will ask members to agree to write to the Scottish Government to back a universal approach to food provision while expressing “deep disappointment” that the children’s holiday food programme is being put at risk following the failure of Ministers to provide the council with necessary funding.
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It comes after a report was presented to members of the city administration committee last month which asked councillors to approve £1.6 million of the council’s own money to fund the summer holiday food programme.
Last year the Scottish Government awarded the city council more than £1.6 million to fund the summer holiday food programme but the local authority is still waiting to hear what if any funding would be made available to them this year.
Councillor Greer’s motion reads: “Council believes the new statistics serve as a wake-up call that further action is required and is therefore deeply disappointed that the Scottish Government has - to date - failed to provide promised funding for the Council's Holiday Food Programme in 2023 and that this comes amidst suggestions from the Scottish Government that the Summer programme would be targeted rather than universal.
“Council re-commits itself to the principle of removing any stigma from potential food provision; believes that food provision for our young people within and outside school should be delivered on a universal basis; and commits to engage with the Scottish Government on these terms.”
If agreed, councillors will write to the Scottish Government to express their preference for a universal approach to food provision and ask ministers to respond as a matter of urgency.
