POVERTY in Wales needs to be tackled more effectively according to a National Assembly inquiry.

The National Assembly for Wales’s Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee has voiced serious concerns about the lack of progress in reducing poverty in Wales, despite the Welsh Government’s long-term commitment and investment in the issue.

The committee believes this is mainly due to the Government trying to treat the symptoms of poverty rather than tackling the root causes.

They say changes to the labour market mean that work is no longer a straightforward route out of poverty. The committee has recommended the Welsh Government should use its influence on the low-skilled end of the labour market to improve the quality of life for people experiencing in-work poverty.

Christine Chapman, AM chair of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee, said: “We are deeply concerned by the number of people in Wales who are affected by poverty. We have made some significant recommendations to the Welsh Government about the need to make a commitment to meeting every person’s minimum human needs; food, shelter and warmth.

“The Committee believes that the Welsh Government should be more accountable for poverty reduction in Wales, and that it needs to listen to people’s experiences of poverty and form policy based on what works best for individuals, taking into account different needs, characteristics and circumstances. One of our recommendations involves establishing a Welsh Poverty Reduction Alliance to bring together key stakeholders to develop innovative poverty reduction solutions.”

Yvonne Rodgers, director of Barnardo’s Cymru, said: “This report should be seen as a distress flare for the 1 in 3 children in Wales living in poverty. We can and must renew our efforts to make child poverty a thing of the past, it has no place in a modern society.

“Child poverty is a disgrace and a ball and chain around our future economic development. A successful Wales is a more equal Wales, and that means not having one third of our children living below the breadline.”

“Tackling poverty requires everyone to pull in the same direction. We urge the Welsh Government to renew the effort to tackle child poverty by prioritising spending on families in the greatest need, working on safeguarding children’s rights within its current legislative programme and protecting initiatives such as free school breakfasts to reduce the cost of living for the poorest families.”