Children shouldn’t starve — have some empathy
I WAS saddened but not surprised to see the Tories reverting to their stereotypical behaviour by voting against the extension to the Free School meals holiday scheme. I would wonder how our local MPs voted but none of them appear in the list of five Tory MPs who voted in favour of the extension.
In addition one of their number accused Marcus Rashford of ‘virtue signalling’, showing their usual arrogance and lack of knowledge as Mr Rashford was not born into wealth, his mother worked very hard at multiple jobs to keep her family fed and so he speaks from a position of personal knowledge, unlike most of those who voted against this much needed help in the current times.
To say the benefits system provides support in the time of coronavirus is at best misguided, but at worst pure ignorance of the number of people relying on much smaller income than before and who are struggling as well as not knowing what will happen next. In addition if children receive free school meals during school times where does the magical money come from for families to feed them during holiday times.
I know there will be some who will say it’s down to the parents but even if that were true whatever the sins of the parent, it’s not the child’s, and they shouldn’t starve. At a time when a lot of people have lost income, but still have rent and bills to pay, then a bit of empathy would be useful. If you aren’t outraged by the wasting of billions on dodgy contracts such as Track and Trace, but kick off about helping hungry children, then something is wrong in our Country.
Paul, Emmbrook
Help for care leavers
YOUNG PEOPLE leaving care face significant challenges, currently exacerbated by Covid-19. When they move into their own accommodation and have to manage their own budget they can often find themselves struggling to cope with their personal finances.
Since 2018 the council has been legally obliged to support care leavers up to the age of 25. Yet, in Wokingham, these same care leavers currently have to pay Council Tax as soon as they turn 21, on top of learning how to manage a household, job, studies and other bills, and often without the support of family or other networks.
We know that Council Tax debt can escalate very quickly and it can be particularly daunting for those leaving care. Contrast this with young people who are not care leavers, who will often have parents to support them at this age.
It’s time this council did the right thing and made our care leavers exempt from Council Tax until they turn 25. The cost of exemption is not material for this council – but could be life-changing for the young people concerned.
I was extremely disappointed and saddened at September’s council meeting to be told that the executive did not support making this change now. Since then, both the Corporate Parenting Board and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee have passed resolutions in support of making care leavers fully exempt from Council Tax this year.
So once again I call on the Conservative executive to do the right thing, as many other councils have done, and make care leavers exempt from paying Council Tax until they turn 25. No more kicking the issue into the long grass – they should do the right thing, and do it now.
Cllr Rachel Burgess, Labour Member for Norreys, Wokingham Borough Council
Thank you
CLASP held their AGM on Friday, October 23, over Zoom. We didn’t want to miss the opportunity for those who could not attend, to say a BIG THANK YOU to all those businesses, media outlets, guest speakers and friends who have supported with such enthusiasm and generosity over the last year and in particular during lockdown. To list you all would be impossible as we have had over 60 guest speakers alone.
However we do need to thank those who have made donations and given us grants including Wokingham United Charities, Community Fund, Tesco, Asda, Get Berkshire Active, Wokingham Town Council, Zizzi and Cook, along with the local media who have kept us in the public eye including Wokingham.Today and BBC Radio Berkshire.
If I have missed anyone I apologise however your contributions, support and awareness of CLASP, and our campaigns to make a positive difference to those with Learning Disabilities in our borough are always appreciated
Debs Morrison, CLASP
It’s good news
Good news this weekend – a vaccine may soon start being given to the NHS etc. Let’s hope it is successful and can be used on all of us.
Also is the great news of the performance of our Royal Navy SBS, who with Police in support rescued the Tanker from violent stowaways on Sunday. I am so proud of our services – remember they are all we have to defend this country.
That good news has little, if any, effect on one serious concern that causes me some distress – the ever-increasing need for charity funds. Given that a few of the ‘urgent requirements’ may be fraudulent, there are many of our well-known charities which are suffering a serious decrease in revenue. Many of us do what we can to help, but may I raise my concerns about the future of these charities? Surely the strain on charities is shameful.
That relates to what is happening in this country, changing rapidly in the retail sector especially, which like it or not is sure to end up employing far fewer personnel.
We really have no idea how many people will be unemployed next year, and I fear our Charities may be called upon to provide physical and mental help to attend to those affected by a potential disaster. Where is their funding to come from?
When one considers the vast amount of money being given to friends of politicians, e.g. Serco (can one believe £7,000 per day per person for advice)? My limited experience of Serco led me to detest their arrogance, but what else do you expect given the money tree reserved for them. I could provide the same advice for a few bob per day. While civil servants are obliged to follow procurement procedures, it appears that Government ministers can do as they please.
It’s worth pointing out that the EU regulations are that tenders must be invited from potential suitable organisations so that the best value purchases of services etc., are obtained. I suppose that rule ends soon, if not already. We send money to India, China – I believe – and others when charity should start at home. All expenditure by civil servants and MP’s should be vetted by an independent office – perhaps by voted-for people unconnected with civil servants, politicians, the financial world, councils etc. Some hope. Where is Guy Fawkes these days?
Reg Clifton, Wokingham
