Gateshead councillors have been warned resources and services, from school dinners to educational services, will be stretched due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Food shortages, sanctions, and subsequent price increases will, according to a council report, “impact directly on Gateshead residents, and it is also greatly impacting on the Council’s School Catering service”.
Sanctions against Russia prevent the importation of agricultural products such as wheat. Russia produces 20% of the world’s wheat and sanctions have impacted the production of food staples like bread and pasta.
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The council’s report also stated Russia may also prevent wheat supplies to western Europe as retaliation, further exacerbating the shortages and price hikes. Councillors were also warned shortages of Ukrainian poultry will also have an impact regionally.
The School Catering service, provided by the local authority, is already under pressure as private contractor suppliers are pulling out and increasing the price of school meals is not expected to mitigate the spiralling cost of food. The council has also expressed concerns about providing psychological support to Ukrainian refugees.
Labour Blaydon councillor Steve Ronchetti told the committee in open debate “I was at a governing meeting the other day and we were discussing the crisis the council has at the moment in educational psychology services. They are really having to cut back on what they can deliver to schools and there is a lot of demand for educational psychology services.”
Commenting on the expected intake of refugees, councillor Ronchetti added: “We can expect a lot of people with trauma and it’s for the council to redouble its efforts and start recruiting more educational psychologists.”
Central Government has allocated £3,000 for Ukrainian pupils aged two to three, £6,580 for those aged five to eleven, and £8,755 for those aged eleven to eighteen.
It has also promised councils £10,500 per refugee for the first year. But future funding has yet to be confirmed and is under review. The council’s report stated “some services may be required for many years”.
