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A no-deal Brexit would lead to a “full-scale emergency” across Tyneside prompting increased food bank use, restricted bin collections and leaving residents struggling to pay bills, city leaders have warned.



Newcastle City Council has today released its worst-case scenario plans for the UK leaving the European Union without a deal on October 31.

The summary document outlines fears of rising food prices putting pressure on the city’s food banks, increased community tensions and disorder, and a severe impact on the poorest residents.

It also warns that any disruption to fuel supplies could damage the council’s ability to carry out bin collections, road repairs, and other basic services.

Labour council leader Nick Forbes, who had pledged earlier this month to publish the city’s equivalent of the government’s Operation Yellowhammer documents, said local authorities desperately need more cash to help “cope with what will be a full-scale emergency impacting on all our residents”.

He added: “I am confident we are as prepared as we can be but the impact on the city as a whole will require proper funding so we can support EU citizens living in the city, residents on the lowest income who will be the worst affected by increased costs and our businesses to navigate the economic shock Brexit will cause.

“The support made available to local authorities so far is simply not enough – funds have been sufficient to prepare for the worst but not to pick up the pieces in the days, weeks and months after October 31.”

The council’s no-deal plan states that:

Low-income households will be “disproportionately affected by price rises in utilities and services”, leading to an increase in deprivation in Newcastle;

Food price rises could increase requests to use food banks in the city;

More Brexit-related protests are likely, with a “potential for a rise in community tensions and public disorder”;

The damaging economic impact of no-deal may lead to people not being able to pay their council tax or business rates, with council cash reserves only able to make up any Brexit-related shortfall “on a time-limited basis”;

If border delays affect the distribution of fuel, there would be a knock-on effect for council activities including refuse collection, bereavement services, highway repairs, traffic signal maintenance and council house maintenance.

It also warns that city authorities dealing with the fallout of Brexit could be overstretched through the winter if other problems such as severe weather, flooding, and flu outbreaks arise.

However, the council believes that there will be no impact on activity at Newcastle International Airport resulting from Brexit and says that there should be no immediate changes to the delivery of adult and children's social care.

The documents also state that the authority is “confident” that Newcastle has sufficient housing to cope with the return of any ex-pats to the region - though it has not yet been given estimated figures of how many UK nationals living in the EU originate from the North East.



Council bosses say they will now increase support available to help European citizens access the EU Settlement Scheme, after overwhelming demand led to increased waiting times.

Coun Forbes, who is leading a North of Tyne Brexit taskforce, added: “Newcastle is proud to be a welcoming city so we have been working hard to support EU residents to apply for settled status and will redouble our efforts in the event of No Deal.

“While we are reassured by our suppliers that we will be able to continue to provide nutritious school meals and our meals at home service to elderly residents -though we may need to replace some of the fresh ingredients with frozen or tinned products - we are deeply concerned at the impact price rises will have on those residents who are already struggling.

“The Government’s own scenarios state food prices will increase and it is likely energy prices will also rise, so as we enter the colder weather this is an issue where we will be pushing the Government to help us protect those who are most in need with adequate funding.”

The city's Lib Dem opposition has called the no-deal plans "too little too late from a complacent administration", after Coun Forbes had claimed 12 months ago that council staff didn't have time for 'navel-gazing' about Brexit.

Opposition councillor Greg Stone said: "We are now a month away from this becoming a reality, and we have no clear answer on what the council expects will happen in terms of important supplies such as medication, which will affect thousands of people in the city including those for whom the council has care responsibilities. At the very least we would have expected to seen the council's risk register identify Brexit a key corporate priority. This seems to be too little too late from a complacent administration."

A Government spokesperson said: “We’re working hard to get the UK ready for Brexit on 31 October, whatever the circumstances.



“We’ve allocated £77 million to local government for Brexit preparations and asked every council to appoint a Brexit Lead Officer to work with us to plan intensively for Brexit.



“We will continue to work closely with local leaders to ensure all our communities have the support they need.”