Birmingham council to buy food bank provisions as stocks run low

Foodbanks across Birmingham were reporting running out of provisions "earlier and earlier", said Cllr Ward

Birmingham City Council is to buy provisions for food banks over fears stocks are running low.

Foodbanks were "increasingly running out of food earlier and earlier in the day", council leader Ian Ward said.

The council agreed to the scheme as part of a £5m cost-of-living support package.

The money will also be used to create warm spaces in the city and increase benefit take-up with the funding coming from the authority's reserves.

Labour leader Ian Ward said the council's "cost of living programme" would also create warm spaces and help support council staff

"We're going to step in and provide more food to foodbanks right across this city because we recognise that that is a growing need by people of Birmingham who are struggling," added Mr Ward.

The leader of the Labour-run administration estimated more than 300,000 were already living in poverty in Birmingham and it was "going to get worse".

"I do believe that every person in every part of Birmingham is going to be affected in some way or other as we go through this winter.

"What we're seeing through the cost of living emergency is on a par with the pandemic and therefore requires a pandemic level response."