Agenda item

Andy Croy asked the Leader of the Council the following question:

Minutes:

 

Question

The Executive plans to give grocery and clothing vouchers to families in receipt of free school meals over the school holidays.  The option to give families cash has been barely considered, but it was an option that was allowed by Government.

 

A moral judgement has been made on the ability of the parents to manage their cash.

 

How many of the parents were expected to spend cash on tobacco and alcohol?

 

Answer

I really do not think that is a question for us.  For clarity, the vouchers to be distributed to the parents/carers of children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals can be spent on food and groceries, not clothing.

 

The choice of food and grocery vouchers over cash is based on the following considerations:

 

  • A successful scheme for distribution of vouchers through schools is already in place and has been used already during the Covid pandemic, which means that we can put these arrangements in place quickly to ensure that families benefit from support without delay.

 

  • 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.

 

  • Families have a wide choice of supermarkets and food outlets in which they can use the vouchers.  10 supermarkets and other outlets are involved in the scheme, 9 of which have a physical presence in Wokingham.

 

  • 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.

 

We trust that families will want support from us which can be used to benefit their children over the Christmas and half term breaks.  Use of vouchers provides ring-fenced choice and protects families from feeling pressured into using cash towards settlement of debt or other liabilities.

 

I would add that we are operating a scheme which is consistent with our neighbours: West Berkshire, Bracknell, and the Royal Borough.  But I guess importantly for you it is the scheme which is being used by Reading Borough Council.

 

Supplementary Question

I think it is a question for the Executive because it is the Executive which has decided to give vouchers not cash.  The local geography is interesting but I am not concerned about what goes on in other Boroughs John and I do not think you should be either.  You should be concerned about what is going on in Wokingham. 

 

You have mentioned several times the ring fencing of cash and debt but you are unable to tell me what proportion of parents cannot be trusted.  Do you not think that this is simply a lack of trust and that there is a moral judgement that people are impoverished because in some way they lack moral virtue and that this decision is as a result of that? 

 

Supplementary Answer

It is not for me as Leader of the Council to judge people’s morals.  I am neither a priest nor a philosopher and I would not do so.  We are faced with a task in trying to ameliorate hunger, poverty and destitution during a period which is a period of a pandemic.   So, our administrative arrangements are    purely administrative in order to reach as many people as we possibly can but I would point out to you that one of the concerns in using money is if somebody has an overdraft and we put money into their bank it is not entirely clear that they will be able to use the money we put in their bank.  So, I am not sure that your judgement is correct when other Boroughs similar to ours have made a judgement very similar to ours independently.  But anyway, thank you for raising it.