Still more than 500 children in Calderdale with no access to an IT device

Coun Adam Wilkinson, who is Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, made the claim in his motion to full Calderdale Council condemning the Government for “it’s failure to tackle digital exclusion for children and young people in Calderdale”, which was carried by a majority of councillors.

Coun Wilkinson said children had been least affected by COVID-19 itself but were one of the most impacted groups in terms of their everyday lives and their future, their education, health and wellbeing and relationships.

Disadvantaged pupils had been affected the most with one issue being lack of IT and broadband, necessary for home learning.

“At the start of the pandemic you could cut the Government a little bit of slack but now we are a year on.

“We still have more than 500 pupils in Calderdale without access to an IT device,” he said.

Coun Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) said some Calderdale schools who had applied to the Government for devices had been told they would have to wait for some weeks with 171 devices awaited at one school alone.

His motion praised work done by the council in partnership with the Community Foundation for Calderdale and the Valley Learning Partnership to fill some of these gaps.

So far £50,000 had been raised with £10,000 from Calderdale teaching union NEU.

“Effectively we are seeing teachers putting their own hands into their pockets to fund laptops for their own pupils. We shouldn’t have to rely on the generosity of teachers and the general public.

“The Department of Education needs to get its act together,” said Coun Wilkinson.

Supporting him, Coun Helen Rivron (Lab, Ovenden) said a laptop was a minimum requirement for a pupil.

But Conservative group leader, Coun Steven Leigh (Ryburn), said condemnation of the Government in such very strong terms was wrong.

“The Government has to be commended for what it has done – 1.3 million devices it has provided, setting £400 million aside.

“That’s a pretty substantial response and it is cruel to see this council condemn the Government, that is a broad statement with no foundation,” he said.

Calderdale’s maintained schools had received 1,290 devices – that figure did not include academies.

“I would say that is a massive commitment,” said Coun Leigh.

Coun Wilkinson said the amendment asking the council to write to Secretary of State Gavin Williamson commending him on his work supporting schools was “a joke” and criticised the number of U-turns the education department had made.

The Conservative amendment was defeated and Labour’s motion carried.