'They must rethink this decision': District MPs react to Wakefield Council's decision to cut uniform scheme budget by £1.3 million

Earlier this year, while under Labour leadership, the council announced a £2m plan to provide all school children with free uniform vouchers.

But this week the newly elected Reform UK led council said that the funding would be reduced to £700,000 with the rest of the money being spent on ‘other local services’.

And the decision has now been criticised by the district’s Labour MPs Yvette Cooper, Simon Lightwood and Jade Botterill.

Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley MP Ms Cooper said: “Thousands of local families are now having their council support taken away.

“Reform are completely wrong if they think that working families aren’t worried about school uniform costs – all families are feeling the cost-of-living pressures right now and that’s why the last Labour council was right to offer this help.”

Announcing the change to the uniform policy coun Matthew Caton, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "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.”

The original funding was part of the last administration’s Wakefield District Investment scheme and came from a share of profits following the winding up of Bridge Homes, an affordable housing project which operated as a joint venture with Vico Homes for more than a decade.

The company was dissolved last year after both organisations said it had become a “challenge” to compete with developers providing similar housing schemes in the district.

And it was expected the money would help around 50,000 school aged children.

Coun Caton 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 new scheme is expected to now cost around £700,000 with an offer of £30 per child for eligible families.

Wakefield MP Mr Lightwood said: “Cutting school uniform support in Wakefield is the wrong choice at the wrong time.

“Families are still grappling with the cost of living, and many parents will have been budgeting on the expectation that this help was coming.”

And Ossett and Denby Dale MP Ms Botterill said the cut would hit families who need the most support.

She said: “They must rethink this decision.”

“At a time when Government, business and charities are doing everything in their power to support those struggling, it is disappointing to see Reform target local families for cuts within weeks of taking control of the council.”