SCHOOLGIRLS in Denbighshire might be offered free tampons after county councillors voted in favour of taking another look at the idea.

A proposal by the Plaid Cymru group on the authority called for free sanitary products to be given to school girls to end period poverty.

But their fellow councillors at yesterday’s full council meeting, wanted to know more about the costs of such a scheme before bringing it in.

Cllr Glenn Swingler, proposed the plan that the council  provide female sanitary products for free to schools to ensure that girls are able to receive them in a way that he said would respects their dignity and independence.

“Sanitary products are as essential to hygiene as toilet paper. But many young women and girls simply cannot afford to buy these products. For many it’s a choice between food and hygiene. It should never have to be that choice.

“We have 3,100 attending high schools in Denbighshire and in the county according to statistics 27 per cent of children live in poverty. This shows the potential level of the problem. Research shows some girls are missing school during their period due to the embarrassment of not being able to adequately protected. “The most recent school attendance statistics show that at primary age 5.1 per cent of boys are absent compared to five per cent of girls.

Yet at secondary school age we see an increase to 5.9 per cent for girls,” he said.

Rhyl west councillor Joan Butterfield supported the idea, but wanted to know more about the costs to the council.

She said: “The cost of this proposal is unknown and I think until we know the cost we need to amend this. I would like to do so so that the costs can be worked out.

“I would also like to see us discuss this with the manufacturers of the products to see if there is anything they can do.”

An amendment to the motion was agreed meaning that a detailed report that would include costs would be prepared on the plan and be put before a meeting of the cabinet in September.

The amended motion was passed unanimously.