THE Labour group leader has blasted Conservatives on Monmouthshire County Council over increases in child poverty rates.

In a motion to the council on Thursday afternoon (20th June) Councillor Dimitri Batrouni criticised the Conservative-led council for bringing in childcare fees for school breakfast clubs and cited a 20 per cent increase in child poverty since 2017.

He referenced Llanover and Mitchel Troy as seeing a doubling in child poverty rates which he said was being partly driven by housing costs.

The councillor for St Christopher’s Ward, Chepstow added that 15 schools are predicted to go into deficit. As an example, Cllr Batrouni singled out the system for dealing with social housing payments saying it “can’t even deal with leap years!”

Councillor Tudor Thomas defended the Welsh Assembly’s position while outlining his concern about underfunding in England as well.

Councillor for Llanfoist Fawr, Giles Howard responded to the speech, calling it a “new ludicrous low”.

Councillor Armand Watts accused the council of “fundamentally failing the people of this county” while Independent councillor for Mill Ward, Frances Taylor, unimpressed at the discussion around the motion, called it a “slanging match across the chamber” and expressed surprise that the motion was even accepted - a sentiment echoed by other councillors.

Cllr Taylor did however, outline her concern at the marked increase in food bank usage slamming Universal Credit as a major factor, but also acknowledging it being an issue that extended beyond the county. She also criticised the First Minister of the Welsh Government for not taking the concerns of child poverty seriously, reading out a letter from Mark Drakeford sent to the cross party group on poverty: “It is not the view of Welsh government that a clear strategy to tackle poverty is necessary.”

Cllr Richard John defended the £1 breakfast club charge, saying it was for childcare rates and not the school breakfast club itself, which is still free.

Labour councillor for Llanwenarth Ultra, Kevin Williams called the county council “embarrassing” saying as someone who was once on benefits “I’m really glad I don’t claim them now because it’s a nightmare, it’s an embarrassment to go into a job centre and be treated like dirt.”

Cllr Maureen Powell accused Cllr Batrouni of “undermining the council with your inflammatory stunt”.

Cllr Penny Jones described the motion as “a political statement using inflammatory language which is neither a question or motion and which seemingly undermines all the Monmouthshire service providers concerned.”

Cllr Sara Jones responded to the motion as well as a claim Cllr Batrouni made on Twitter that “social justice is quickly becoming a fantasy in Monmouthshire.”

She claimed that Cllr Batrouni overlooked some of the council’s work on poverty to “suit his own agenda” as well as overlooking some of the Welsh Assemby’s shortcomings saying: “It’s not us in Monmouthshire that’s failing our children, it’s the powers-that-be in Cardiff.

“We are working hard in this county to build on our community’s assets.”

She closed by asking Cllr Batrouni to be “a critical friend, rather than a media opportunist”.

In Cllr Batrouni’s closing remarks he accused the Conservative group of “perpetuating a social crisis in this county’.

“They’re making our beautiful county the least just in Wales,” he said.