by Paul Behan

SHOCKING new figures reveal that more than nine per cent of people in West Dunbartonshire used the local foodbank last year.

Approximately 8,500 people had to rely on a handout of food essentials from the West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare.

And the organisation has issued a stark warning that the figure is expected to rise in 2017.

It comes as people who are already living below the breadline brace themselves for additional welfare cuts, a possible three per cent rise in council tax, increases in rent charges, inflation, stagnation of wages and soaring food prices as the year unfolds.

The West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare has announced preliminary figures for January to December 2016 and says it will have more accurate ones at the end of this month.

But it predictsan “increase in need” throughout 2017.

Clair Coyle, board member at the West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare, told the Post: “From January to June 2016 we supported over 4,000 people experiencing food poverty with emergency food provision and reckon this figure will be roughly 8,500 for2016.

“We will have accurate figures around the end of January.

“We do anticipate that in 2017 we will see an increase in need for our service as more families become affected by price hikes in all areas.

“Our volunteers chat with people who use our service about financial difficulties they are experiencing and they are worrying about meeting the needs of their family, job security and benefits reforms.”

Leader of West Dunbartonshire Council Martin Rooney laid the blame for the growing number of foodbank users – one in nine in West Dunbartonshire – squarely at the doors of Holyrood and Downing Street.

He said: “In terms of poverty, West Dunbartonshire is one of the worst off in Scotland and this is not helped by the fact that only 0.07 per cent of the Scottish government general grant is earmarked to address poverty. This is a pitiful amount and reflects the priorities of national politicians.

“It’s also disappointing that the UK government continues to cut social security benefits to the most vulnerable families.

“In contrast WDC has allocated £38,000 cash this year to support local foodshares, which have become a lifeline for vulnerable families.”

Councillor John Mooney added: “I am appalled that so many Bankies, including many in work, have to rely on foodbanks. This is a direct result of government policies such as benefit sanctions, the bedroom tax and cuts to tax credits.

“Despite our budget allocation having been cut yet again by the Scottish government – even although we have high levels of deprivation – the council has allocated £38,000 in the last year to fund local foodshares, even when the Scottish government has failed to provide the needed funds.

“Now that the Scottish government has welfare powers, it is their responsibility to do all in their power to address poverty and inequality. For our part, we will continue to do everything in our power to help vulnerable people.”

The Foodshare also came to the rescue of 400 children during the festive period with nearly 200 receiving a “hunger bag” to keep them fed.

Clair said: “We haven’t as yet pulled all the stats for over the Christmas period but we did support 389 local kids with toys to open on Christmas morning, this included several families living in emergency homeless accommodation.

“Each child received a large gift bag with approximately three to four toys.

“We also gave out 190 holiday hunger bags for children.This helps families cope with the additional costs of kids being off school and missing out on low-cost breakfast clubs and free school meals during the holidays.”