NO ONE in Wokingham will go hungry this Christmas and during “this Covid-blighted winter”.
That was the promise made by leader Cllr John Halsall at the start of the executive meeting.
The special gathering had been called to allowed the ruling body to vote on a proposal to provide help for vulnerable residents over the next few weeks, as well as agreeing a package that will allow the council to offer grants to businesses.
Cllr Halsall said that this hunger-busting pledge was “a clear commitment” to everyone.
“Wokingham Borough Council will not allow any of our residents to go hungry or cold,” he promised.
“The two initiatives … will help us make sure we target support to children, families, individuals and businesses most in need. We are, however, prepared to go further, indeed, as far as is necessary, to make good on that commitment.
“Should it be necessary, we will find more funding – via a properly accounted supplementary estimate – to support those most in need.”
The Executive approved plans to provide £100,000 worth of food vouchers to families who receive benefits-related free school meals. This support is to cover the Christmas holidays and February half-term.
There will also be £5,000 for food and utilities for young adults who were in the council’s care, but have left – known as care leavers.
The remaining £100,000 will be used by supporting those who need additional support, and will often be referred to the council via the One Front Door Covid-support scheme.
The funding was provided by the Government as part of its £170 million Covid Winter Grant Scheme, and will help an estimated 2,100 children and young people in the borough. Families will receive £15 of food vouchers per child per week of the holidays.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services, said: “We are so happy to have this new grant programme to support our most vulnerable families and individuals. No child in the borough should go cold or hungry and this grant will help make sure of that.
“This has been a difficult year for all of us, and we need to support those most in need.”
Before the executive voted on the measures, there were a number of questions.
Wokingham Town Council councillor Philip Cunnington wanted to know if the payments would help residents with their mental health.
Council leader Cllr John Halsall said that the funds were to help with food, energy and related items only.
He added: “The support is designed to help relieve financial pressures and associated stress and hardship experienced by families and individuals”.
Wokingham foodbank manager Annette Medhurst wanted to know how residents would know how “this scheme is fully understood and accessible to its front line staff working with vulnerable households across the Borough such that they refer into this scheme rather than the Foodbank?”
Cllr Halsall said that the council wanted to be sure it would reach those most in need and would have a “comprehensive communication campaign” to facilitate this, while a representative would be able to apply on their behalf.
“We are very keen to work with our partners from the charity and voluntary sector to identify families who are in need and signpost them to the scheme for support or assist them in their application.
“We are very, very keen to ensure we meet every need,” he promised.
Claire Revie from Share Wokingham said that the organisation distribute food to households hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. She wanted to know how the council would help affected families who were self-isolating and couldn’t get to the shops to spend their vouchers.
“There will be the option for families to email or provide the vouchers to a representative who can use the vouchers on their behalf and deliver food and groceries safely to their door,” Cllr Halsall said.
Cllr Alison Swaddle (Conservative, Coronation ward) wanted to know if the grants would be distributed before Christmas.
Cllr Halsall said that there would be three ways to distribute the vouchers. For those who receive means-tested free school meals, the council would be working with schools to ensure that the vouchers are distributed before the end of this term.
For care leavers, the council’s care team will be providing support.
And for families and individuals who do not fall into those two categories, the council’s frontline service works will be able to refer people, while the One Front Door scheme operated by Wokingham Citizens Advice will also offer help.
“We will monitor carefully the demand from families and individuals for support, and should the need exceed the funds available, a further paper detailing the need and proposed response will be considered by the Executive,” he said.
“We have plans in place to distribute grant funds to those in need from December 14, so that those who need support in time for Christmas are able to access it. The scheme will continue into the New Year and end on March 31, 2021.”
He added that he was confident that all the issues for a previous scheme had been ironed out and a helpline would be set up for schools to use.
Cllr Abdul Loyes (Conservative, Loddon ward) asked: “Will the Covid Winter Grant Scheme ensure that no child in the Borough will go hungry this winter?”
Cllr Halsall reiterated his previous response, saying: “We are committed to ensuring that no child goes hungry over the winter months”.
The issue of fraud was raised by Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons (CON, Wokingham Without), who wanted to ensure that the funds would not be misused.
Cllr Halsall promised to validate applications to mitigate the risk.
Labour group leader on Wokingham Borough Council, Cllr Andy Croy wanted to know how many of the parents were expected to spend cash on tobacco and alcohol when the proposals were being considered.
Cllr Halsall said that the voucher scheme was already in place, “which means that we can put arrangements in place quickly to ensure that families benefit from support without delay” and that the vouchers could be used in nine supermarkets in the borough.
“We want to support families who may be struggling with debt to be able to ring-fence these funds for essential food and grocery items so that no child goes hungry over the Christmas and February half-term breaks,” he said.
“The means of distribution of vouchers is designed to be non-stigmatising. Parents and carers exchange voucher eCodes for store eGift vouchers of their choice.”
He added: “This scheme is being used by Reading Borough Council.”
Cllr Croy said that it was the Executive was making the decision about using vouchers over cash, and said that Cllr Halsall hadn’t answered the question.
Cllr Halsall said “We are faced with the task of trying to ameliorate hunger, poverty and destitution during the pandemic” and that the council had to reach as many people as quickly as possible. He added that if the council put money into account that had an overdraft, it might not be used for the purpose it had been intended.
During the discussion, Cllr Richard Dolinski asked that if there was a problem distributing the vouchers before the end of term, whether they could be backdated to ensure families benefited from them.
Cllr Clark said that children receiving free school meals would automatically receive the vouchers, which are administered by the company Edinred and sent to the school.
She added that if families needed support, they could approach the Citizens Advice via the One Front Door scheme, while Cllr Halsall promised that if there were any problems issuing the grant, the council would step in.
The Executive approved the motion.
