Pressure has grown on Norfolk County Council (NCC) to reverse its plan to scrap free school meal vouchers over the Easter holiday, after a petition gained hundreds of signatures.
The petition was set up on Thursday (March 31) morning by NCC’s Labour opposition leader Steve Morphew and within hours had received almost 600 signatures.
The Conservative-run council has provided free school meal vouchers for every holiday since December 2020, but will not be doing so over the Easter break.
The authority has instead pledged to use new government funding, announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak in his spring statement last week, on a “new scheme to address hardship”, the details of which are yet to emerge.
In the meantime, the authority is suggesting parents send their children on the Big Norfolk Holiday Fun activity programme, at which children receiving free school meals will get a free lunch.
Alternatively, families in financial difficulty are being encouraged to contact a separate service, the Norfolk Assistance Scheme.
But these actions did not go far enough for Mr Morphew, who said: “Feeding hungry children is not an option, it is an imperative.
“This lets down hungry children and struggling families in the teeth of spiralling costs.
He said the Big Norfolk Holiday Fun programme was never intended to be an alternative to the vouchers, adding: “It is the worst kind of whitewash for a callous betrayal of those needing help.”
NCC’s Conservative leader Andrew Proctor said: “We completely understand the cost of living is increasing, and some households may continue to need extra support over the Easter break.
“We would always encourage any parents who might need extra help to contact us on 0344 800 8020, so that we can help ensure they are getting the support that they need.”
Across the country, authorities are taking different approaches to the scheme over Easter.
Like Norfolk, Labour-run Birmingham City Council is replacing the £15-per-week voucher with "a range of free holiday activities and meals” via its Bring It On Brum holiday programme, saying that keeping the vouchers would be “unsustainable”.
Labour-Liberal Democrat coalitions in both Cumbria and Bedford have meanwhile committed to retain the scheme.
Mr Morphew’s petition can be found at: https://www.change.org/p/norfolkcc-reinstate-easter-school-holiday-meal-vouchers-in-norfolk
For further information on the Big Norfolk Holiday Fun programme, visit: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-and-how-we-work/campaigns/big-norfolk-holiday-fun
For further information on the Norfolk Assistance Scheme, visit: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/care-support-and-health/support-for-living-independently/money-and-benefits/norfolk-assistance-scheme
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