An anti-poverty strategy for York council will be reviewed next week before being considered for approval by Full Council.

The strategy is titled ‘Tackling Poverty Today and Turning the Tide to Create Lasting Change’ and sets out to create a ten year strategy and action plan to address poverty in the city.

Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said: “Poverty has been an unacceptable fact of life in our city for too many people and for too long.”

The scheme is shaped through consultation with residents, communities and partner organisations.

It describes the approach the council will take over the next decade to reduce the number of people experiencing poverty in York now and in the future.

The strategy builds on York’s history of addressing poverty, through the work of Joseph and Seebohm Rowntree, with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation considered a world leading authority on tackling deprivation today. 

Cllr Claire Douglas added: “Bringing partners together with a collective commitment, ambition and clear focus for the next decade, I hope, will build on York’s strong social justice history of anti-poverty campaigners.

“It will make a tangible difference to the lives of people and families living in poverty, not just now, but for future generations.”

The University of York and Policy in Practice have looked at data from the LIFT (low income family tracker) platform to understand the prevalence of poverty in the city.

By focusing on households in receipt of benefits, their research found that nearly 4000 households in the city in either relative or deep poverty.

It is hoped that the final action plan will include a shared definition of poverty that all partners use, key performance indictors, three objectives that address issues today, an action plan setting out actions already underway and a recognition that some communities are more affected than others.

This is apart of a wider package to support those living with poverty, this includes the York Hungry Minds initiate to provide free school meals to primary school children.