AM for Wrexham Lesley Griffiths believes plans to ensure school meals cost no more than the price of producing them can make ‘a massive difference’ to families on low incomes.
The move comes as part of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Bill announced this week by Welsh Education Minister, Leighton Andrews.
This will mean schools can be flexible at a local level over the price of school meals, subsidising school food where they feel this may be beneficial to children from families on low incomes. However, a cap will also be introduced to ensure schools do not charge more than the price of producing the food itself. There is currently no upper level on the price of school meals in Wales.
The Bill will place duties upon local authorities to provide, or continue to provide, primary school free breakfasts and school-based counselling on transfer of the specific grant funding to the Revenue Support Grant. The transfer will give local authorities flexibility to establish the level of need, make decisions based on local knowledge and circumstances and manage funding levels locally.
Commenting on the move, Lesley Griffiths said:
“Children cannot learn to their full capacity without the fuel to do so. This move will allow more families on lower incomes to afford school meals for their children.
“With this Bill, the Welsh Government will enable schools to decide at a local level whether meals should be further subsidised to help those on low incomes, where there is need.
“For the first time, schools will also have to ensure they serve meals at no more than cost price. This will ensure schools do not charge more than needed to the detriment of children of lesser means.
“This will make a massive difference to struggling families on low incomes who do not currently qualify for free school meals.”
