Area's child poverty shame

Council leader Stephen McCabe is to write to both the Scottish and UK administrations pushing for much-needed assistance in the wake of a raft of fresh austerity cuts being announced at Westminster last week.

A clear east-west hardship divide has emerged within the district, with a shocking 29.3 per cent of children in the east central ward area now living in poverty compared with 15.47 per cent in the west of the district.

The latest data for local authorities throughout Scotland places Inverclyde as the joint-fourth poorest council area.

There is also clear evidence that the situation has worsened in the last three years.

A shocking 26 per cent of the entire district’s children were living in poverty in 2014, compared with 24 per cent in 2011.

Cllr McCabe — who branded the figures ‘depressing’ — said: “It is a cold, hard fact that families in our communities are struggling to make ends meet and inevitably it is the children who suffer.” He told a meeting of the full council: “If we are going to make a serious difference, we need to see action from the UK and Scottish governments.

“We are happy to play our part, but they must provide us with the necessary resources and support to make a real difference.” Mr McCabe — who leads a minority Labour administration on the council — said that previous Holyrood governments involving his party and the Liberal Democrats had brought about ‘real reductions’ in child poverty.

He added: “It is disheartening to see levels increase in the last five years.” SNP council group leader Chris McEleny responded: “There is no point in making political points. We all care about Inverclyde and should be doing all that we can.” Labour depute council leader Jim Clocherty said: “I agree with Cllr McEleny — this is too important to be making political points.

“This report is telling us as councillors that we have a lot to do.” Mr McEleny’s SNP colleague Jim MacLeod said: “There is no excuse for going about cuts to welfare the way this Tory government is doing — it is absolutely despicable from the Westminster government.

“They are hurting the most vulnerable people and it is an utter disgrace.” But David Wilson — Inverclyde’s only Conservative councillor — said: “My party fought an election on the basis of welfare reform and was elected.

“The SNP has had eight years to raise taxes to alleviate problems and hasn’t done so. A lot of people welcome welfare reform and I am in favour of it.” Labour man Joe McIlwee hit back: “This is about children, not party political broadcasts.” Labour’s James McColgan said: “I agree with everyone, bar Cllr Wilson.” In the latest report to council, corporate policy and partnership manager Miriam McKenna has called for funding of £45,000 to create a project co-ordinator post to initially run in tandem with the £20 million regeneration project at Greenock’s Broomhill.

Ms McKenna said: “An initiative is being developed to identify how organisations can better co-ordinate their services and resources to support vulnerable families.

“Poverty and inequality are among the reasons families experience poor outcomes, so this approach will impact on levels of poverty in Inverclycde.” Cllr McCabe said: “The community planning approach is the best means to address poverty but that requires co-operation both locally and nationally.

“Inverclyde Council is determined to get it right for every child, citizen and community and we can achieve much in the long term through raising attainment and getting more people ready for work and into work where they can earn a living wage.

“But, with national policies such as welfare reform there will be an inevitable impact on levels of poverty in areas of deprivation which local organisations can have very little influence on.

“There is a clear role for the Scottish and UK governments in tackling poverty and there is a role for Inverclyde Council in setting out a series of specific ‘asks’ to help the council tackle poverty locally.”