Opposition leader calls on council to reverse £1.3m school uniform cut
An opposition councillor has called on Wakefield Council leaders to reverse a decision to cut its school uniform fund by £1.3m.
Earlier this month, the Reform UK-led authority announced support would be available only to “those who need it most”, including children eligible for free school meals and families experiencing hardship.
The new scheme is expected to cost about £700,000 and replaces a £2m scheme approved by the previous Labour administration to provide all school children with free uniform vouchers.
Labour lost control of the council in May after Reform took 58 out of 63 seats at the local elections.
Eligible families will be offered £30 per child under the revised plans.
Rachel Speak, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrat group, has tabled a motion calling for the previous scheme to be reinstated.
Coun Speak said: “Many working families, single-parent households and families who are not eligible for free school meals continue to experience significant financial pressures due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
“Introducing additional application processes and hardship assessments may create barriers for some families, particularly those who may struggle to access support or are reluctant to seek assistance.
“Councillors and community organisations are often left supporting residents through complex application processes without additional resources being provided.”
Coun Speak has also requested an assessment be carried out into the likely impact on working families who will no longer qualify for support.The motion also calls for a report
to investigate how school uniform support “can be delivered fairly, transparently and without creating unnecessary barriers to access.”
Coun Speak added: “Every child should have access to the clothing and equipment needed to attend school with dignity.
“Support should be easy to access and should not place unnecessary barriers in the way of families requiring assistance.
“Working families should not be excluded from support simply because they fall outside narrow eligibility criteria.”Matthew Caton, cabinet member for children and young
people, previously said: “Targeting the limited funding we have directly towards the children and families who need it most is common sense and what any responsible council should be doing.
“The universal giveaway we inherited from the previous administration was never the best use of public money.
“It meant residents without school age children, who might also be struggling, could be subsidising better off parents.
“The scheme we’re putting in place will provide support that is deliverable and good value and it enables us to invest in other essential local services to improve the lives of our residents.”
Coun Caton also said the council was committed to reducing overspending.
“We’ve heard the message from residents loud and clear that you want change,” he said.
“A big part of that is putting a stop to spending money on things that the council simply can’t afford to do.
“By reducing the cost of this scheme by £1.3m we can repurpose our resources into local services to improve our communities.”
The motion will be debated at a full council meeting on June 17.