Anti-poverty plan ‘having a real impact’

LEADERS have hailed efforts to reduce poverty in Stockton in the last two years as going “above and beyond”.

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT

The borough's first anti-poverty strategy and action plan has led to numerous measures to help residents with issues including household and child poverty, health and wellbeing since it was drawn up in July 2024, Stockton Council's cabinet heard on Thursday, May 14.

Council leader Councillor Lisa Evans pointed to the Bread and Butter Thing’s five hubs in Stockton providing 13,590 sets of shopping, saving almost £340,000 and helping reduce the number of emergency food parcels: “There’s no referral, you do pay for what you get as a very much reduced cost, and it does decrease our food waste as well.”

She also referred to the Junction Multibank, helping local organisations, NHS teams and council services to access an estimated £4m worth of free, donated products to support residents: “We've distributed over 725,000 essential items, helping school items and essentials.”