Council investigating provision of free sanitary products for Banbury area women suffering 'period poverty'

Labour councillor Rebecca Biegel put forward a motion calling for freely available products at Cherwell District Council’s meeting on Monday evening.

This was seconded by councillor Sean Woodcock, of the same party.

Ms Biegel said: “Can you imagine having to choose either to buy sanitary products for yourself, your partner, your daughter, or another female family member or to feed your family or put the heating on?

“It is unbearable for the individuals and unacceptable in our society that a lack of sanitary products can prevent women and girls experiencing such period poverty from comfortably leaving their home for several days every month.”

The Banbury Grimsbury and Hightown councillor referred to the cost of living crisis and cited an ActionAid poll suggesting the percentage of those affected by period poverty has risen from 12 per cent to 21 per cent in one year.

Mr Woodcock said: “It’s rather unfortunate to be adding another male voice to this discussion but councillor Biegel and I agreed it was important to have men stood behind it as well.

“To have essential items for half of our population that potentially are out of reach is not something we should accept or tolerate if we can help it.”

Meeting chairman, Cllr Les Sibley, declared the motion had passed unanimously.

Deputy leader of the Conservatives, Donna Ford, said: “Hopefully we can look at this in conjunction with what’s being done with the county council so we’re not doubling things up.”

Liberal Democrat councillor, Nick Cotter, said: “I think this motion is long overdue and I really do expect this council, when it’s adopted, to provide these products in as many facilities as possible.”

Oxford City Council decided in July 2022 that it would provide free period products in the city’s public buildings and toilets.

The NHS does not provide free sanitary products universally in the UK but resolved in 2019 to offer free tampons to NHS patients in England.