COUNCILLORS in Hyndburn should be able to refer hungry families in the borough to food banks, a new report has claimed.

The Reducing Poverty report said bosses should hold talks with Accrington charity Community Solution North West about the proposal to reduce red tape.

“Local councillors are often the first point of call for a resident in need,” the report said.

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“If councillors were able to offer direct referral into the food bank for those most in need, this would prevent some customers being passed through multiple agencies.”

The report was produced by a cross-party panel, put together last year to look into the issues of poverty, from the communities and wellbeing overview and scrutiny committee.

Great Harwood Labour councillor Kerry-Anne Molineux, chairman of the panel, said: “We always knew we were in an area of deprivation and lots of people are struggling to cope. We have have agencies in Hyndburn that offer support but people do not know where to go or who to contact in their time of need.

“We wanted to implement something that would cost the least but would make the most difference. Once we refer people to the food banks, it is up them to run through the procedures to get them help.

“Food banks do not just offer food parcels but lots of other support, with budgeting, and signposting to different agencies if they are in difficulties.

“This would greatly benefit people who use councillors as a referral point.”

Until now, families in need have been forced to find and contact care professionals, such as doctors, health visitors and social workers, to be issued with a food-bank voucher, which can be redeemed for three days’ emergency food.

Mark Hirst, a director at CSNW, said the food bank receives around 400 new referrals every month from 180 agencies.

He said: “We are very different from most food banks. We home deliver all our parcels and have a very robust referral system.

“We have and we would take referrals directly from councillors. The whole ethos is we use the food as an engagement tool.”

Ukip Hyndburn chairman Cllr Paul Thompson (St Oswalds) said: “The more people who can get involved the better.

“We need to stop throwing money away on silly things like HS2 and the EU. We could save millions of pounds and then we can start looking after our own people.”