END CHILD POVERTY IN KENT AND MEDWAY

Kent Green Party is concerned about the rise in child poverty in Kent and Medway, which is predicted to rise even further in the immediate future. Steve Dawe comments:
"Coalition cuts and poor wages are driving up child poverty. The recent report of the End Child Poverty coalition shows the proportion of children in each of our council areas in Kent currently living in poverty:
Ashford                 18%
Canterbury                      20%
Dartford                        19%
Dover                           22%
Gravesham                       22%
Maidstone                       17%
Medway                  23%
Sevenoaks                       14%
Shepway                         23%
Swale                           25%
Thanet                          28%
Tonbridge and Malling           15%
Tunbridge Wells         14%

"The national figure is 20.2% of children living in poverty, a truly appalling statistic. But six of Kent's council areas are higher than this. When this is combined with the fact that every district in Kent now has a Food Bank as well to feed the hungry(2), we can see that Coalition cuts and declining purchasing power for households are undermining the future of our children.
"Kent Green Party does not believe making the poorest suffer is acceptable. Our tax system could be used to collect more revenue from corporations and the richest households is anything but gross injustice. Coalition policies are forecast to increase the numbers of children and households in poverty. For our children to have hope, their policies of poverty creation must be rejected by all of us."

Ends c232 words
FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Dawe, Press Officer, KENT GREEN PARTY, on 01732 355185 or 07747 036192. Contact address as above. Promoted by H.Dawe for Kent Green Party, both at 27 Audley Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1XF. KENT GREEN NEWS, free ezine, is available by subscription at www.kentgreenparty.org
Notes:
1.      End Child Poverty (coalition of 100 charities) http://www.barnardos.org.uk/130212_ecp_local_report_final__2_.pdf
2.      See our previous release at www.kentgreenparty.org on this subject.
3.      Tax alternatives include: raising cigarette, alcohol, petrol, diesel duties; raising Air Passenger Duty; adding more council tax bands at the top of the scale; shutting all tax havens operating on UK controlled territories.