A COUNCILLOR who ‘grew up in poverty’ has made an emotional speech urging action be taken to stop the cost of school uniforms from taking a big chunk out of struggling families’ finances.

Cllr Jacky Tustain presented a motion to Hampshire County Council on Thursday, May 18, to urge schools to keep uniforms at low prices and to allow the use of unbranded clothing.

Some schools in Hampshire authority still expect and require pupils to buy branded uniforms that are more expensive than unbranded alternatives.

The Labour councillor, who represents Basingstoke North, put forward the motion at the council’s annual meeting, encouraging all Hampshire schools to enforce the Education (Guidance about Cost of School Uniforms) Act to ensure that the uniform cost is reasonable and secures the best value for money.

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Cllr Tustain, who was recently elected to be the Basingstoke Labour group leader, said: "This is not a political motion; this comes from my heart.

"I grew up in poverty. I knew what it was like to go to school with holes in my shoes and go home with wet socks. I brought up four boys. I know the pressures for a mum to bring up children and the cost of uniforms on top of everything else. It is challenging. We are living in a time when things are getting harder, and we need to do everything we can.

"All I ask is to get things to work properly, so everybody can benefit as country as a county and make sure we don’t forget our children and our future; make sure they get a decent education, go to school, enjoy school and achieve their potential without any fear or bullying or feeling out of place or uncomfortable or hungry."

Several councillors spoke up to agree with the motion.

Cllr Lesley Meenaghan said she would prefer teachers to focus on teaching rather than check if children had the correctly branded uniforms.

Cllr Kim Taylor, who seconded the motion, said that in 2020 The Children’s Society issued a report which indicated that 25 per cent of the children in the UK wore an unfitting, unclean or incorrect uniform, which led to bullying, feelings of isolation and being sent home because they don’t have the correct uniform.

The society estimates that half a million children a year are sent home because they do not have the correct school uniform.

Cllr Taylor said: "Many low-income families often have to choose between food and school uniform. Uniform affordability is an important factor in people exercising the right to state-funded education.

"We have a perfect storm here, rising poverty and higher prices resulting in more hungry children in our schools and kids sent home because they don’t have the school uniform."

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Cllr David Drew recommended including another point in the motion to schools: "Where schools don’t already have school uniforms exchanges or textbooks exchanges, they should be encouraged to do so because that can make a significant impact."

Guidance on school uniforms says schools should consider offering second-hand uniforms, help those who are at risk of poverty with the cost of clothing, and allow buying generic items from low-cost outlets.

The guidance stipulates that ‘schools need to ensure that their uniform is affordable’.

"In considering cost, schools will need to think about the total cost of school uniforms, taking into account all items of uniform or clothing parents will need to provide while their child is at school," it says.

"Generic items which are widely available (including from low-cost outlets) give parents a choice and allow them to control the cost of school uniforms.

"Schools should keep the use of branded items to a minimum."

"No school uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families feeling unable to apply to, or attend, a school of their choice. Therefore, schools need to ensure that their uniforms are affordable.

"Parents should be able to purchase generic uniform items from a range of retailers giving them choice and value for money."

All party groups agreed with the motion, and it was carried.