Council launches ambitious plan to half the number of children living in poverty by 2032

Working together with individuals who have lived experience of poverty, local agencies and local communities, the Council has developed a new, long-term plan to tackle poverty, providing a fairer future for all.

The foundation of the new A Fairer Future strategy is built upon three pillars.
Voice - hearing the voices of people experiencing poverty and acting to address issues they raise.
Alleviation – delivering urgent action to tackle the immediate consequences of poverty.
Root Cause – transforming society and the economy to tackle the underlying causes of poverty.

Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Poverty and Wellbeing, Councillor Louise Gittins, said: “No one should be in a situation today where they have to make impossible decisions between heating their home, buying essentials such as food or paying their rent. Our mission is to support and change the lives of those residents in our borough who are living in these difficult situations.

“We believe that if everyone plays their part, including the Council, local partners, business, residents and central Government, together we can make sure that people from all backgrounds have opportunities to improve their situation and quality of life, throughout their lifetime.”

Over 60 key influencers and decision makers came together at the launch of the new strategy, hearing first-hand from those currently living in poverty and discussing and debating how everyone can be involved in making difference.

Steph Ellis from the Welcome Network said: “I have worked really closely with the Poverty Truth Commission since 2018 and more recently the Advisory Board, and there has been a lot of hard work and dedication from community inspirers, partners and the council team to get A Fairer Future strategy in place.

“One of the things I’ve learnt from being involved, is that we can only effect meaningful change when we really listen to the challenges that are being faced and work collectively to address them. It is for us all to take time to understand the realities of poverty and how small changes can create a huge difference towards giving everyone a fairer future.”

If you are an organisation, community group or local business and would like to work with the Council on addressing poverty and financial hardship, please get in touch.

Email: 

povertyemergency@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

For residents currently facing serious financial challenges, a wide range of support and guidance is available on the Council’s cost of living support page:

Cost of living support

Pictured - Community Inspirers at the launch of A Fairer Future strategy.