The local council is urging for additional funding to support its holiday activities programme, which has been running successfully for five years. The free program includes a host of fun, diverse activities, from horseback-riding to martial arts to paddle-boarding. Participants are provided with nutritious food to power their excursions. More than 9,000 children are the program’s only winners. As free school meals continue to increase, we expect demand to increase further, and that’s a positive thing!
Councillor Carol Clark, chair of the children and young people select committee, expressed her worry. She is concerned with the dwindling funding for the program. She pointed out that despite an increase in the number of children eligible for free school meals, the money keeps running out. “The funding goes down every year, but free school meal eligibility goes up,” she said. Councillor Clark emphasized the need for sustained financial support, stating, “More children meet the criteria but we’re getting less money.” She highlighted the challenges faced by local councils, adding, “I don’t know how councils are expected to survive – we can only do so much.”
Their holiday activities programme has seen incredible registration numbers. Over Easter 2024, the program reached its capacity of 6,000 spaces, with 1,580 children taking part – proving the program a success. This further underscores the incredible demand and need for continued investment in such initiatives.
To make sure more people have access to these opportunities, the council has tackled past shortcomings like booking systems that weren’t user-friendly. A fancy new “sophisticated” booking system will be rolled out July 4. This amendment was aimed at improving the ease with which young people can register. It creates a better experience for families wishing to enroll their children in activities.
Councillor Ray Godwin was equally alarmed at the possible withdrawal of future funding for the programme. He sat back in amazement at the idea of doing so with a much improved booking system only now realizing funding might dry up. “I think maybe all the councillors need to lobby to make sure the funding doesn’t go away,” he stated.
More than 50 different providers have already applied to join the program this summer. They’re busy building, or have plans to build, more than 17,000 new spaces for kids. Yet the funding future is still uncertain, with current commitment only assured through March 2026. The council is bracing for a busy summer tourism season. Those officials are hopeful that increased advocacy will help them win the budgetary changes they require.
