Secretary of state for work and pensions Liz Kendall visited Ollerton and Newark as part of the Child Poverty Task Force, hosted by Sherwood Forest MP Michelle Welsh

A leading government figure said the number of children living in poverty is an ‘absolute scandal’ — and vowed to listen to communities such as ours to ‘make the right decisions’ on tackling the issue.

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall visited Ollerton where she met with MPs from across Nottinghamshire as well as local organisations who face the challenges head on in their day-to-day work in our area.

She was hosted by Sherwood Forest MP Michelle Welsh, who has made tackling child poverty a personal priority since being elected last June.

The Children’s Society estimates that out of the 6,896 children living within the constituency, 32% are experiencing poverty — rising to as many as 40% in Ollerton and Boughton alone.

During a lengthy discussion, Ms Kendall heard practical suggestions about what the government could do to improve child poverty rates in the UK, and will report back to the Child Poverty Action Group in London.

“Michelle [Welsh] has been a lifelong champion for giving children the best start in life and when she asked me to come, I immediately said yes,” said Liz Kendall.

“There are unacceptably high rates of child poverty here and it is an absolute scandal that so many kids are growing up poor — not only is it terrible for them, but it’s terrible for the country as we are missing out on all that talent.

“I’m not going to get this right and the government is not going to get this right unless we hear about specifically what is happening in communities like this.

“What was both challenging but inspiring is that there is nothing the organisations here don’t know, and nothing that they don’t have an idea for to put it right.

“We need to work with these organisations, the campaigners, and people like Michelle, which is why it was so great to come here today.”

When asked what she would take away from the meeting, Ms Kendall said: “We need to drive people’s income up, whether through more better paid jobs or the social security system.

“We need to drive down costs, particularly in housing and energy utility bills which are so so high.

“But thirdly, we have to put in the long term changes we need to give every child the best start in life with really good early years services.

“The thing that really struck me, is that we need to make sure the issues in these more rural areaa that feel cut off need to be sorted out, and the only way to do that is to give more power to local people because they know the services that are needed.

“So, it’s really important for me that we don’t just hear from those in the big cities, but also from those that live here locally.”

Michelle Welsh said: “Tackling child poverty should be an absolute priority — when you tackle child poverty you improve wellbeing, when you improve wellbeing you can improve health and ultimately children can start to achieve what they should achieve in school

“At the moment that gap between the advantaged and the disadvantaged is far too big, we have to change that.

“For communities like Ollerton, which have been largely ignored for years and years, who had their industry taken away from them, I felt it was important that the minister saw this side of the country.

“These are fabulous communities that have stood shoulder to shoulder through the hardest of times, and if the government can get it right for communities like ours, then they can get it right for the rest of the country too.”

She added: “I grew up in council housing around some of the worst poverty. I saw it every day.

“From a very young age I realised that there was a difference between the haves and the have-nots, and I don’t believe it should be the case that where you are born determines your future.

“I’m incredibly proud to represent this constituency. Sherwood Forest is a great place, but it could be better.”

Also in attendance was East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward, who does not directly deal with child poverty but believes the issue is linked with many other problems facing communities across the region.

She said: “Around 25% of children living in the East Midlands are in absolute poverty — that’s higher than the national average.

“This is not something than can simply be left to the government, it is something that needs to be at the very heart of everything we are collectively doing.

“We need to make sure parents have well-paid jobs and they have the skills to get those jobs, we need to have a transport system that connects everything together, and of course we must have the homes people need so that young people and children are not being shunted around different accommodation.

“If those children don’t get the very best start in life, then they won’t be able to become the best skilled people that we need to do jobs in this region and have the life we want them to live.”

The Secretary of State also visited the YMCA in Newark while she was in the district, where she held a roundtable with food banks, schools and colleges, the police, and charities.

What do you think? What can be done to tackle child poverty in our area? Let us know your views in the comments below…