Schools could switch to cashless payment system

Schools in Caerphilly County Borough could switch to a cashless payment system for school meals and other activities, such as trips.

A report into the proposal says there is an “urgent requirement” to reduce the amount of cash handled, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Currently, there is a cashless payment system in nine secondary schools in the borough, while a trial is taking place in ten primary schools.

Jonathon Lloyd, headteacher at Ystrad Mynach Primary School, spoke to the council’s policy and resources committee about his views on the cashless payment system.

He said that there has been around an uptake of around 94% from parents since the trial began at the school.

Mr Lloyd said: “All around the school it’s been really beneficial.

“I was sceptical at first, but it’s won me over. We run a really good system.”

The cashless system would allow parents to pay for school lunches and school trips via an online payment system, reducing the amount of cash that would need to be handled inside a school.

A report says the system would enable schools to prevent any discrimination between paid and free school meals pupils.

Only schools using the council’s internal school meals provider, Caerphilly Catering, would benefit from the cashless payment system if it were to be implemented.

If approved, 84 schools in the county borough would benefit from cashless payments.

The initial maintenance and costs of £246,500 for the first year would be covered by the council’s education and corporate services reserves.

Schools would be required to pick up the maintenance costs themselves thereafter. This would be £598.39 for primary and special schools, £1,963.23 for a secondary school and £2,561.62 for a middle school.

Newbridge ward councillor Gary Johnston expressed concerns in the meeting over the burden it would place on school budgets.

A final decision will be made by the council’s cabinet in mid-October.