East Ayrshire Challenging Poverty

Community Planning Partners in East Ayrshire have signed a pledge to tackle poverty in our communities in support of Challenge Poverty Week which runs from 7-11 October.

East Ayrshire Chief Executive Fiona Lees,  Council Leader, Douglas Reid, Councillor Claire Maitland, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Inclusion and Poverty and Councillor Tom Cook signed the pledge at the Burns Mall in Kilmarnock, with the aim of ‘unstintingly working to tackle poverty and its impact on our communities’.

The pledge was also signed in Netherthird, Cumnock and Muirkirk Primary School on Tuesday 8 October with further signings planned for the week at the Carers' Centre in Dalmellington on Wednesday 9 October, DOT in Newmilns on Thursday 10th and Stewarton Area Centre on Friday 11 October.

The signatories stressed that the partners believe poverty has no place in a Fairer, Kinder, Connected East Ayrshire, and said: “Too many people are living in poverty. We believe that poverty is not inevitable and can be solved, and we are committed to reducing its impact in our communities.” 

Members of the public were invited to attend these sessions where information on benefits, fuel poverty and financial assistance was available.