The government's decision to provide £400 million to support poor children and their families during school holidays has been welcomed by Cheshire East's Labour councillors, who describe it as a "massive climbdown".

A winter grant scheme will support families in need with support for food and bills as well as the expansion of a holiday food and activities programme was announced over the weekend.

The move comes following a campaign end child hunger in the UK spearheaded by England and Manchester United striker, Marcus Rashford, who spoke to the prime minister over the weekend.

£170m of the funding will be distributed to local authorities with at least 80% earmarked for help with food and bills. This will come in from early December and cover the period up to the end of March,

A further £220m will go to the expansion of the food and activities programme to cover school holidays next year.

Food banks across the country are also set to receive and additional £20m in funding.

The local Labour Party, who run the borough council with independents, say the move will support 7,500 children in the borough who get free school meals.

Local MPs faced fierce criticism for voting against the expansion of free school meals into the half term and Christmas holidays.

advertisement

Responding to the criticism last month, Congleton constituency MP Fiona Bruce said: "It goes without saying that no child should go hungry".

She argued the government had put in additional support for struggling families during the pandemic, such as increasing Universal Credit, but did call on ministers to expand the holiday activity and food programme as well as adopting her 'Family Hub' policy proposal.

Broken Cross and Upton councillor, James Barber, welcomed the "climbdown", saying: "I have fully supported Marcus Rashford's campaign and have set up a local Taskforce to look into the issue.''

Cllr Steve Hogben said: "Yet again, a Government that throws many £millions in contracts without any competition during the Covid19 Pandemic to its friends and party funders has had to be reminded of our duty as a civilised society towards our poorest families.''

Cllr Marilyn Houston described the prospect of children going hungry during the holidays as "unacceptable" in "one of the richest countries in the world".