A Sandbach councillor is working with others to help plug the gap left by the cost-of-living crisis.

Elworth councillor, Nicola Cook, tabled an item at the recent full council meeting of Sandbach Town Council estimating that more than 200 children in Sandbach live in poverty.

Now the town council has set aside a budget of up to £7,500 to help those who live in poverty in the town and it will continue working with Connected Communities on the issue.

Cllr Cook said in a report: "In 2021 5.13% of the population of the Sandbach lived in poverty.

"In Sandbach, based on the current population of 21,085, this means that 1081 individuals lived in poverty.

"Sixty per cent of those people who live in poverty live in a household where at least one person works.

"Cheshire East Council indicate that 20% of the population of Sandbach are under 18.

"It can therefore be assumed that approximately 216 children live in a family living in poverty, within the geographic area supported by Sandbach Town Council."

Cllr Cook says poorer households are currently experiencing higher inflation – on average – than better-off households.

 "This cost-of-living crisis means that we will need to redefine how we support our community.

"The scale of poverty can reasonably be expected to increase in Sandbach. It can largely be expected that individuals and families who have been able to live on their usual income may, for the first time, struggle to pay their bills, struggle to feed their family, struggle to buy new shoes for their children, struggle to see how they are going to afford to live each and every month.

"As a Council, we need to be seen as relevant. We need to be an organisation that understands the struggles of its community and is able to respond in a way that creates a community which looks out for each other.

"Sandbach rose to the challenge magnificently during Covid, and we now need to do this again."