BURY Council has pledged to make positive changes to support children and families living in poverty across the borough.

The council has put £200,000 aside to support homelessness prevention and welfare relief initiatives as part of a three-year strategy to tackle poverty.

Bury's anti-poverty strategy for 2018 to 2021 was approved at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, April 18.

Councillor Judith Kelly, cabinet member for corporate affairs and regulatory services, said: "Over the past few decades, Bury has undergone significant regeneration. The town centre is thriving and there are superb travel links, popular schools and colleges, excellent employment opportunities and outstanding leisure, sport and recreational facilities.

"However, not all of Bury's residents are sharing the benefits. There are severe pockets of deprivation across the borough.

"A report in 2017 demonstrated the significant impact that poverty has on the borough. It included that 7,000 children are living in poverty, and 12 areas are within the 10 per cent most deprived in the country.

"Anyone can experience poverty at any time in their lives, brought on by bereavement, benefit changes, or similar.

"Those living in poverty are often socially excluded and face uncertainty. There are also costs to society.

"However, with the right support, everyone can have the opportunity to do well which is why we have tackled poverty as a priority.

"The strategy looks to build resilience, empower local people and reduce the demand on services."

The council aims to provide refresher debt awareness training to internal officers and partner agencies by June 2018 to ensure early identification of those struggling to manage their finances, and will in turn work with families to help them alleviate hardship.

It also hopes to deliver Universal Credit training to staff, including library staff, and agencies, as well as making debt advice available by June 2018.

A further aim includes working with food banks in Bury town centre to ensure they offer fresh produce as well as non-perishables by June 2018.

The council plans to identify schoolchildren who are suffering from poverty, and to expand its holiday hunger programmes to give more children access to health meals during school holidays.

Other aims include helping residents to become self-sufficient by improving the access to digital services, negotiating a better rate for fuel, introducing council tax exemptions for care leavers up to the age of 21, and promoting the 'Bury offer' to encourage employers to recruit locally where possible.

Council leader Rishi Shori said: "Thank you for the work you have done on this agenda, Cllr Kelly.

"We have allocated £200,000 to support the delivery of it.

"Bury is seen as successful and affluent but we cannot close our eyes to the fact that there are children and families living in poverty.

"It is a challenge and we have not been helped by the Government's policies around welfare reform.

"We are doing our best at a local level to make changes."