Reform council chief threatens to report café proprietor who fed children without cost to police

EXCLUSIVE: Barry Ashley, who runs the Grumpy Cook café in Hastings, and Labour MP Helena Dollimore have been told by East Sussex County Council chief Andy Woolley that he plans to contact police after they named him in criticism when school holiday meal vouchers were stopped

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A café owner who served up free meals to hungry children after food vouchers were removed has been told he will be reported to police by a Reform council leader.

Barry Ashley, who runs the Grumpy Cook in Hastings, stepped up after East Sussex County Council decided not to issue school holiday meal vouchers to struggling families over the summer. He has criticised the move, which he branded “shameless”, accusing the council of turning its back of children in poverty.

He has since been told by Andy Woolley, who heads the authority, that he will be reported to police along with Labour MP Helena Dollimore. Mr Woolley claims to have been personally attacked online and accused the pair of inciting hate and potential violence by naming him in their criticism.

The dispute follows the council’s decision not to continue offering the vouchers, which are a lifeline to families. An appalled Mr Ashley responded by announcing he would offer free meals to children who need feeding at his not-for-profit cafe.

A number of local businesses have donated to help, and Mr Ashley told The Mirror he has been providing more than 70 free meals a day. Ms Dollimore has launched a petition calling for the vouchers to be reinstated, branding the council’s actions “totally unacceptable” and accusing it of putting children at risk.

Mr Ashley said: “Hastings is one of the poorest towns in the country. And it is by every measure it’s a deprived town. One in three of the children are living in poverty.

“And the vouchers, just to take those away without considering what they should be putting in place, without doing any risk assessment, without doing any impact assessment, it’s beyond bizarre.”

The café has been providing support to struggling families since the Boris Johnson government opted not to provide support during lockdown. Mr Ashley said he offered a £2 menu for kids, but when he found out the vouchers were not being rolled out, he would provide free meals to any child who needed it.

“They don’t have to produce any evidence that they’re in poverty or they’re on Universal Credit because I don’t like the stigma that goes with that,” he said. “It’s so important that these children get fed.”

And Mr Ashley continued: “There was a mum that came in yesterday, she brought her three children in, and she said ‘I’ve come to see if I can get some lunch for them.’ I asked if she’d like anything and she said ‘No, no, no, I’m fine’.

“I’ve had this before when I’ve asked. You can see the kids are sitting around a meal and the mum’s sitting there with nothing. I remember one mum, I think a year or so ago, and I offered her some free food, and she started crying.

“That really upsets me that people are sitting there going hungry to make sure their children are being fed.” The café owner has posted a series of messages on Facebook criticising the council.

One said: “East Sussex County Council have obviously used their discretion and decided the kids can starve. They are shameless.

“Hastings is the 14th poorest town in the country and one in three children are living in poverty. If you cannot serve the most vulnerable in our area then of what use are you? Councillor Woolley your move.”

In another he wrote: “Finally Councillor Woolley, should you go for re-election into office again I hope voters wrap your sandwiches and those of your party in a road map.”

He was staggered to receive a WhatsApp message and an email from the council leader saying he would report him and Ms Dollimore to police. Mr Ashley said: “So the free speech advocates don’t like free speech.”

In an email to Ms Dollimore, Mr Woolley pointed out it was a collective decision by the Reform cabinet to stop issuing vouchers. He claimed naming him in online posts could be responsible for inciting hate and potential violence against him. The authority said it is providing targeted support at those most in need.

Mr Woolley wrote: “Your continued naming of me personally has led to an increase in online abuse of me personally and has now reached a point where you could be responsible for inciting hate and potential violence against me, a political official, and members of my family. You of all people should be aware of the increased sensitivity of these sorts of posts since the sad murder of Ann Widdecombe.

“As such I shall be reporting you both to the police and to the Parliamentary standards committee.”

The Labour MP responded: “You are correct to say that I have criticised the decision. I know that many other people locally are concerned, including food banks and voluntary organisations.”

She continued: “Politicians and members of the public should be free to comment on and criticise decisions made by their opponents. I know that Reform UK includes ‘defence of free speech’ as amongst its policies.”

The council says it has not been given enough by the government to continue offering the vouchers for families of children entitled to free school meals. Ms Dollimore and Mr Ashley dispute this, and said it was a political choice.

In a statement Mr Woolley said: “I believe there is a point where legitimate political debate crosses the line into conduct that places individuals at risk. Decisions are made collectively.

“What should not happen is for one individual to be repeatedly singled out, particularly where that is accompanied by claims that we believe are inaccurate and which have the effect of inflaming public opinion against that individual.”

He said he had previously written to Ms Dollimore disputing comments she had made about the council. He said he took exception to being singled out, stating: “Instead, the campaign has continued with me being repeatedly named personally over what was a collective Cabinet decision.

“Since then, I have been subjected to abusive messages, emails, threats and graphic online content targeting me personally. I am not suggesting that Helena Dollimore created those threats or abusive material.

“However, when public figures repeatedly personalise a collective decision and present it in a way that fuels hostility towards an individual, they should recognise the foreseeable consequences of doing so.

“Whether any individual communication crosses the criminal threshold is a matter for the Police. Political disagreement is entirely legitimate.

“Targeting individuals in a way that contributes to intimidation, threats and abuse is not. Everyone in public life, regardless of political party, should be able to carry out their duties without fearing for their own safety or the safety of their family.”

The local authority says it is providing targeted support using £7.3million from the government’s Crisis Resilience Fund. This was rolled out to replace the government’s Household Support Fund, which has previously been used to fund vouchers.

Mr Woolley said the council’s Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme has been expanded, while families experiencing hardship can access support through the Crisis and Resilience Fund. He has not contacted police at this stage.