A cross-party group of councillors and officers will meet to focus on child poverty in Pembrokeshire and how it can be overcome following a call from one member.

St Davids councillor David Lloyd tabled a Notice of Motion calling on the local authority to work to identify “certain clear interventions” to address the complex “matrix of indicators” than are used to rank child poverty.

At a meeting of cabinet on Monday (October 4) Clr. Lloyd said he had been “shocked” at the previous ranking of Pembrokeshire as the area in Wales with the highest level of child poverty and that had prompted his notice.

His push for a cross-party, multi-disciplinary working group to address the matter was supported by members of the cabinet, with the recently formed policy forum recommended as the most suitable avenue to start the work, with Clr. Lloyd to be included.

Cabinet member for social care Clr. Tessa Hodgson said: “This is something we all need to become invested in. The Notice of Motion has helped to focus minds on this important and difficult issue.”

It was also acknowledged that the situation was “probably going to get worse before it gets better,” with Clr. Michelle Bateman emphasising the impact of Universal Credit cuts, as well as increasing fuel and energy costs having a “huge impact on families in Pembrokeshire, in real terms.”

A report from the policy forum will be brought to full council in December, with details of “actions and learning around child poverty to date and the way forward for Pembrokeshire,” along with leaning from other areas.