YORK'S most vulnerable children will have free meals over the Easter holidays, the city's council has pledged.

Councillors have added £205,000 from the York Financial Assistance Scheme to money from the Government's Covid-19 Winter Grant to the city to cover the cost.

It will also run holiday activities and a food programme to children chosen because of their need at Clifton Green and Westfield Primary Schools and plans to extend the scheme to more children for the summer holidays.

Lib Dem councillor Keith Orrell, executive member for children and education, said: “In October, the Council stepped in when Government failed to support hungry children through the half-term school holidays.

"Although we welcome the numerous u-turns they have made since, the Council is still stepping up to up to patch-up central government failure to provide councils with all they need to support residents.

“We will also continue to campaign for longer term solutions which acknowledge the struggles facing York’s families and call for a nation-wide strategy to address child poverty.”

The holiday activity scheme uses Government funding.