Story perspectives

Council Allocates £7.3 M as Free Meals Replace Vouchers

7/31/2026

Summary

Ashley Feeds Kids

Mr Ashley began giving free meals to children after East Sussex County Council stopped vouchers.
He serves more than 70 free meals a day after the voucher cut.
Labour MP Helena Dollimore launched a petition demanding reinstatement of the vouchers.
The council’s decision left one in three children in Hastings living in poverty.

Summary

Woolley Threatens Referral

Leader Chris Woolley warned he would refer Ashley and MP Helena Dollimore to police, alleging their posts could amount to hate-incitement.
The council will allocate £7.3 million from the Crisis Resilience Fund to support families and expand Holiday Activity and Food programme as an alternative to vouchers.
Woolley said online naming of him has escalated abuse toward his family, citing Ann Widdecombe’s murder, and noted that police determine the criminal threshold.

History

Historical Context

Britain’s Welfare Reform Act 2009, passed by Parliament, introduced tighter benefit conditionality and new sanctions, reshaping the safety net. Six years later, Iain Duncan Smith’s Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 built on those changes, further limiting caps and freezing benefits. The cumulative reforms have been linked to rising child food-bank referrals and council budget pressures.

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Ashley Feeds Kids

Mr Ashley began giving free meals to children after East Sussex County Council stopped vouchers.
He serves more than 70 free meals a day after the voucher cut.
Labour MP Helena Dollimore launched a petition demanding reinstatement of the vouchers.
The council’s decision left one in three children in Hastings living in poverty.

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