Document Period Poverty

The Committee noted an update on the project to tackle period poverty, initiated by Councillor Abby King and taken forward by Officers in Community Services, to whom thanks were extended by the Chair.

Officers confirmed that with the benefit of a waiver from the relevant contract standing orders, the Council was entering into a partnership with a social enterprise organisation called ‘Hey Girls’ to provide goods and services free to people facing period poverty.  Hey Girls was considered to be the most suitable in terms of cost, experience of working with local government, maximising social value and environmental impact.  Products and information would be available at 19 venues across the borough. 

The Council’s Communications Team would also be involved in promoting and raising the profile of the project which was aligned with the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy as well as supporting sustainability and equalities as demonstrated by the full equalities impact assessment which was presented to the Committee.

The Committee noted that as agreed previously there was £24,000 available across the next three years.  Officers in Community Services would be monitoring the project’s success and building up an evidence base with the intention to secure future funding which Members agreed was an exciting and worthwhile project.