There should be an end to ‘period poverty’ for young girls in Caerphilly County Borough, councillors have agreed.
A notice of motion was tabled by St James ward councillor Elaine Forehead at the council’s Education for Life Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, April 24.
The motion, which was backed by the committee, calls for the council to introduce free sanitary products in schools.
Cllr Forehead said: “Feminine hygiene products are a fundamental necessity for all young girls across Caerphilly Borough and beyond. It should never be acceptable for young girls to go without essential products because families cannot afford them.”
The motion will now be considered by the council’s cabinet on May 16.
In March, the council received a one-off Welsh Government grant
payment of £41,657 to be invested into the improvement of toilet facilities and feminine hygiene products in schools.
In addition, the Welsh Government has also made £13,206 avail-
able over the next two financial years for providing feminine hygiene products to women and girls in Caerphilly.
Based on data in Caerphilly, it would cost close to £100,000 to
provide hygiene products to the 4,774 girls of secondary school age – Years 7 to 11 – a monthly cost of just £2 per pupil.