This report provides Young People’s Scrutiny with information relating to how the introduction of universal free school meals for all state funded infant school children (ie those in reception, year 1 and year 2) will impact on schools in Shropshire and the work being undertaken by Shire Services to ensure schools are prepared for the increase in meals served from September 2014.

The report of the Shire Services Manager is attached

53.1     The Committee received the report of the Shire Services Manager on information relating to how the introduction of universal free school meals for all state funded infant school children would impact on schools in Shropshire together with the work being undertaken by Shire Services to ensure schools were prepared for the increase in meals to be served from September 2014.

53.2     The Shire Services Manager reminded members that the Coalition Government had announced that from September 2014 all state funded infant school children would be eligible to receive a free school meal and that legislation would place a legal duty on schools to deliver this commitment. This legislation would also include powers to extend the duty to additional year groups in the future. 

53.3     The Shire Services Manager also informed the meeting  that capital funding of £150 million was available nationally in 2014-15 to upgrade kitchens and to increase dining capacity where required. Shropshire would receive £662,822 of this money, the distribution of which had been agreed at a meeting of the Schools Forum. Transitional funding of £22.5 million was also being made available nationally in 2014-15 to support small schools in addressing the particular challenges they faced and that 79 schools in Shropshire would be eligible for this funding. Revenue funding of £1 billion would be made available in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 academic years to provide a flat rate of £2.30 per meal taken based on actual take-up by newly eligible infant pupils.

53.4     The Shire Services Manager advised the meeting that Shire Services currently provided catering services to 112 primary schools in Shropshire and it was anticipated that there would be an increase of approximately 40% in the number of meals served per day.  The team was currently working with schools in order to develop their plan which would identify requirements and they would continue to meet with schools individually to advise them of any issues which needed to be addressed and to check out any concerns. She commented that the majority of schools in the county were well placed to provide the extra meals.

53.5     A Member enquired as to whether the grant for the capital expenditure was sufficient.  In reply the Shire Service Manager assured him that it was considered sufficient as there was no major building work required unlike in some other areas where provision was undertaken by Shire Services.

53.6     A Member commented that it might be difficult to know what the uptake of the free meals would be and asked what provisions were being put in place to ensure that there was not too much waste.  The Shire Services Manager stated that there was a need to ensure schools had procedures in place to accurately assess the number of meals required.

53.5     A Member also commented that there would be many schools having to adjust to serving larger numbers and asked what provision was being made for the sharing of good practice.  The Shire Services Manager advised that good practice was shared as part of the dialogue with schools.

53.5    A Member asked what provision had been made for schools that did not use Shire Services for the provision of meals. In response the Shire Services Manager advised that she had been in contact with the Schools Food Trust to ensure that help was available if required.  The Service Delivery Manager also advised that in considering the allocation of funding no differentiation had been made between those schools that used or did not use Shire Services.

53.6    A Member commented that free school meals were used to identify those eligible for pupil premium and asked how this was to be covered in future.  The Service Delivery Manager confirmed that he had recently received a letter from David Laws, Minister of State for Schools, reminding councils of the importance of identifying those that would be eligible for free school meals, and that this would be passed on the Head Teachers.  The Director of Children’s Services commented that there was a need to get the message out to parents.

53.7    A Member commented that as a primary school governor she had been apprehensive about the proposals and thanked the Shire Services Manager and her team for all the work they had done.

53.8    The Chairman thanked the Shire Services Manager for her very full report and for all the work that she and her team had done to ensure the smooth provision of the universal free school meals.