Pembrokeshire Council support for those struggling with the cost of living is to be boosted by grant funding.

Cabinet member for social care Cllr Tessa Hodgson said that grant funding from Welsh Government had been received for the council to “deploy to mitigate against some of the pressures associated with the increasing cost of living.”

She was responding to a question tabled at full council on Thursday (October 13) by Cllr Joshua Beynon, who asked: “Energy bills are rising, inflation is going up and the demand for core council services is on the rise.

“Whilst these are not the fault of the council, can the relevant cabinet member tell me what this administration is doing to support vulnerable people and communities during this time?”

Cllr Hodgson added that the council is “working all day, every day to support vulnerable people and our communities, regardless of the current stormy national and international climate we are all operating in.”

Options for the grant funding will be developed “to reach as many people in poverty as possible,” she added, with plans including support for community locations to stay open longer to provide food, activity and warmth, a fuel voucher scheme, pet food scheme and additional free school meal support.

Medium and longer term strategies are being considered to be delivered in a “sustained and determined way.”