A leading county councillor has expressed concern at the removal of summer holiday supermarket vouchers for low-income families, as plans for the delivery of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund were agreed.

The Government's new Crisis Resilience Fund is designed to support vulnerable households facing immediate financial crisis, as a result of cost-of-living pressures, and to support them to avoid repeat crises.

But unlike the previous Household Support Fund (HSF), it cannot be used for the blanket provision of vouchers for families eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

At a meeting of the county council's cabinet on Wednesday (March 18), councillors were presented with wide-ranging plans setting out how the county council's £9.1m allocation for 2026/27 will be used.

Those plans include schemes that will provide essentials such as food and energy vouchers or even white goods to eligible families and others, including care leavers, young carers and homeless families

And they include significant funding for organisations such as the Money Advice Unit, Citizens Advice and Age UK to offer support on issues that include debts, benefits, housing and employment.

There is funding allocated for a range of projects that include the expansion of community supermarkets, supporting young people leaving care and home safety checks.

And there's money to be made available to help transport residents to clubs and activities, to support community events and to develop community groups, in a drive to counter loneliness.

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But at the cabinet meeting, on Wednesday (March 18), executive member for education, SEND and inclusion Cllr Mark Watkin (Liberal Democrat, Nascot Park) raised concerns about the removal of the blanket school holiday supermarket vouchers.

And despite acknowledging that the move reflected a Government decision, he said: "We know that hardship is increasing – it's certainly not going away. And to me it's the children who are being penalised."

Presenting the proposed spending plans to the cabinet deputy executive member for adult care services, Cllr Calvin Horner (Liberal Democrat, Bishop's Stortford East) welcomed the guarantee of funding for the next three years, amounting to £9.1m a year for the first two years and £11.4m for the third.

But he stressed that the £9.1m allocation for 2026/27 represented a 26% drop compared to the amount allocated from the Household Support Fund two years ago.

He said the focus of the new fund was to support individuals or households in crisis, to build resilience so they can withstand future crises, as well as strengthening communities to support those in need.

And he said that whilst it was intended that some projects would continue for the three years, they would be reviewed annually.

Leader of the county council, Cllr Steve Jarvis (Liberal Democrat, Royston West and Rural) said officers had drawn up "the best plan with the circumstances we have got" – suggesting the plan would apply the resources "in the most effective way".

But he was cautious about how effective some planned interventions would be in building resilience.

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"I think there is clearly support for people in crisis, and building resilience is the right thing to do," he said.

"I think there is some doubt as to how successful these interventions will be at promoting resilience, whether or not they will be sufficient to do that."

And responding to the concerns raised by Cllr Watkin, he said: "There will be families who have had voucher support for free school meal equivalent in holidays who won't get that any longer, certainly won't improve the resilience of those families.

"I guess the Government would claim that these resources are better targeted – but there are also smaller resources.

"I think we need to be absolutely clear, it is not a decision we would have wished to take."

And he later added: "What I think we have to do and what I think this plan sets out is to apply these resources – the resources that we got from the government – in the most effective way. And we have got a plan as to how we think we will do that."

He acknowledged the plans would be reviewed annually. And he told councillors: "We will have to try and make sure that the funds get to those who are most in need – although clearly there won't be sufficient for them to get to all who are in need. 

"But I think we have the best plan with the circumstances we have got."

The meeting of the cabinet was held on Wednesday (March 18), and the webcast can be viewed at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk