A GROUP of North Oxfordshire councillors have called on Cherwell District Council to provide food vouchers for vulnerable children.

The council’s Progressive Oxfordshire Group – made up of two Liberal Democrat councillors, two Independents and one Green – is concerned over the amount of support that is currently being offered.

It comes after the Government, including all Tory MPs in the county, voted down a proposal to provide free school meals to children throughout the half term holidays.

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In an open letter to council leader Barry Wood, the group said it wrote to the council asking what steps Cherwell had taken, but was ‘underwhelmed’ by the response.

It said: “You reported that children were being offered snacks in a car park and that some were being given food bags to take home to prepare meals.

“Whilst both of these initiatives are no doubt well intentioned and helpful in some ways, we feel that they do not adequately address the problem of ensuring that all children have at least one substantial hot meal a day.”

The council distributes grant funding to organisations that apply to its Community Hub Emergency Relief Fund.

It also heads the Play:Full project which is where groups hosting holiday clubs are provided with free healthy lunches or snacks, but this is only for children in certain areas of Banbury.

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The Progressive Oxfordshire Group, which is made up of councillors Katherine Tyson, John Broad, Conrad Copeland, Nick Cotter and Ian Middleton, wants the council to provide food vouchers to families that have been identified as vulnerable.

It said: “This would also negate the problem where many families have to apply for support when they may not even know it’s available.

“This is particularly acute with the increase in school children being told to isolate from school after being exposed to the virus.

“We ask that Cherwell take a stand like other councils and demand aid for the most vulnerable students during the holidays and when the children are forced by government guidance to stay away from their free school meal.”

Oxford City Council provided food vouchers of up to £15 per child for vulnerable families during half term last week.