The total number of children expected to benefit from Glasgow’s summer holiday food programme is 2000 less than last year according to councillors who have voiced their frustration about the delay in funds from the Scottish Government.
Last year the Scottish Government awarded the city council more than £1.6 million to fund the summer holiday food programme but the local authority is still waiting to hear what if any funding will be made available to them this year to run the scheme.
Glasgow’s budget meeting this year saw £500,000 set aside for the scheme and as a result of the delay from Holyrood, around £1.1 million has been identified from the education budget to carry forward into summer 2023.
READ NEXT: Thousands of Glasgow children set to benefit from holiday food programme
A report presented to members of the city administration committee highlights that last summer, the projected number of children and young people benefiting from the scheme sat at 23,224 compared to the actual number of 25,837. This year the number of people expected to benefit from the programme sits at 23,883.
Depute Leader of the Council, councillor Ricky Bell, said: “I am massively proud of this scheme and it is one of the outstanding programmes that has been brought forward by this administration. It benefits so many children and young people.
“But this is not the paper I envisioned bringing to you today. The report I had envisioned presenting to you would have been reflective of a collaborative review of the programme with our third sector partners and providers.
“It would also have been aligned to the Scottish Government’s framework for school age childcare and holiday provision which we have been expecting since December last year.
“Despite regular contact and dialogue between the government and our officers the funding commitment and guidance remains unavailable.
“In February this year, I wrote to ministers expressing the council’s concerns about the delay and confirmation of and funding available to Glasgow and the guidance underpinning this.
“I specifically mentioned the impact on planning and delivering of the holiday activity programme in Glasgow.”
Councillor Bell told the committee that a response from a Scottish Minister acknowledged the uncertainty caused by the delay and indicated that confirmation of the school age child care investment was imminent.
He continued: “Regrettably, the investment commitment and guidelines remain unavailable. I have raised this matter several times with the Scottish Government. Myself and councillor Aitken have a meeting with the First Minister tomorrow to discuss a number of issues and this is also on our agenda.
“This report sets out in detail the approach taken to deliver and protect a summer programme for holiday provision at the same level of investment as we did in 2022.
“It is my hope that the government framework for 2023/24 will enable us to continue to support beyond summer 2023. I will provide the committee with an update as early as possible.”
Questions were asked as to whether any explanation to the delay had been provided by the Scottish Government and what would happen to the thousands of children who would miss out on meals this year during the summer holidays.
Labour councillor Jill Pidgeon said: “I have to agree. I think the holiday food programme is something that the children of our city vastly benefit from.
“Has the government provided any explanation as to why it has taken so long to [deliver the funding].
“With the price of food rising, it is estimated that the total number of children who will benefit from these schemes is £2000 less than last year. What is the council doing to address this?”
Councillor Bell responded: “No they haven’t been very clear about why the funding hasn’t come. We could speculate and suspect that some of that is around change of administration and the new minister coming in - wanting to review what the expenditure is for.
“They haven’t been very specific with us about why that money hasn’t come in.
“I am very aware of that [2000 less children benefiting from the programme]. We are putting in place this scheme. If we were to wait for the Scottish Government’s responses there wouldn’t be a scheme delivered at all.
“I think this is the best, within the timescale we have, that we are able to do.”
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