Opposition Councillors Take A Stand - Norfolk Children Suffer From Tory Cuts

A protest walkout by the Liberal Democrats and other opposition parties took place at Norfolk County Council full council meeting on the 11th April, following the refusal to allow a debate on a Conservative decision to cut vital school holiday lunch vouchers. The scheme had been helping struggling families since the start of the covid 19 pandemic. The Conservative administration at Norfolk County Council decided to stop the scheme giving families only a weeks notice, with some parents having no notice at all. Other councils in East Anglia continue the vital lunch vouchers.

Local Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Gaywood South, Rob Colwell left the council chamber and went straight to Kings Lynn Food Bank to find out what they were short of. Financial pressures on families were already high with the rising cost of living crisis and a list of family essentials was passed to Rob, who went on to purchase the same from his own monthly allowance.

In the first week of the holiday Rob had already helped desperate families in Gaywood by obtaining over 120 lunches from Tesco and Morrisons following a request for help to local store managers.

There is concern from the Liberal Democrats in North West Norfolk that struggling families will have little respite as the May half term will fast approach and return families to the blight of fuel poverty. North West Norfolk Liberal Democrats continue to call on Norfolk County Council to reverse this heartless policy and do what is right for Norfolk's children.