Councils across Wales should follow Caerphilly’s example on free school meals – MS

Councils across Wales should follow Caerphilly’s example and provide free school meals over the summer holidays, a Senedd Member has argued.

Earlier this month, Caerphilly County Borough Council confirmed it would continue providing meals over the summer, after the Welsh Government withdrew funding for the scheme.

The council will dip into its reserves to fund the scheme.

The move was praised in the Senedd by Caerphilly’s Labour MS Hefin David on Tuesday July 11.

Last month, the Welsh Government confirmed the withdrawal of funding for the free school meal vouchers that were previously available throughout the school holidays.

The scheme was started in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking in the Senedd, Dr David asked First Minister Mark Drakeford for a statement on free school meal provision in Caerphilly.

In his response, the First Minister praised the council’s “excellent” service and described it as a “Wales-leading authority in using data to link entitlement across council services, including entitlement to free school meals”.

In a follow-up question, Dr David said: “Caerphilly will fund free school meals during the summer holidays for the most vulnerable people.

“I think that Caerphilly council is to be congratulated for taking that, for using their reserves to do it, and other councils should be encouraged to do the same.”

Dr David then went on to ask what other sources of support are available for the most vulnerable children during the holidays.

He also asked if Mr Drakeford has discussed with Plaid Cymru, as part of the co-operation agreement, whether there was any leeway to fund extra support during the holidays.

Responding, Mr Drakeford said the Food and Fun Programme, run by the Welsh Local Government Association, will be “the largest programme we have ever seen this summer” – with “thousands more” children able to benefit from it this year.

He also highlighted schemes being run by a range of groups, including Playworks and the Welsh Rugby Union, as well as third sector and faith groups, to help young people during the summer.

Mr Drakeford continued: “While we have not been able to do more than we originally promised to do in relation to free school meals during school holidays, that does not mean that there is not support there for young people who need it.

“The last time we were able to extend free school meals during the school holidays further was because we were able to use an underspend in the universal free school meals budget, which is part of the co-operation agreement.”

He continued; “Partly because of the success of councils like Caerphilly, which will have succeeded in extending that service to all primary school age children a year earlier than in other parts of Wales, there are no underspends left in that budget to deploy for that purpose.”

“Disappointing”

The Welsh Government’s decision to withdraw funding for free school meals over the summer holidays has been attacked by both Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives.

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths, who represents the South Wales East region, described the move as “disappointing”.

He said: “The short notice at which this bombshell was dropped on parents – many of whom have to strictly budget and therefore forward plan every little extra expense – makes the impact of this policy even worse than it would have been.”

Mr Owen Griffiths said his party will “continue to pressure” the Welsh Government to make a u-turn and called on it to “do the decent thing and put children in need first”.

Meanwhile, Welsh Conservative shadow education minister Laura Anne Jones said the news was “indicative of Welsh Labour”.

Ms Jones, who also represents the South Wales East region, said: “Once again they talk the talk but fail to walk the walk when it comes to free school meals in Wales.

“The UK Conservative Government is continuing with their holiday activities and food programme, applying in England, to provide support for the most vulnerable children on free school meals, while the Labour Government are cutting ours in Wales.

“This comes as no surprise from Labour ministers in the Senedd who have still failed to properly fund schools to expand their kitchens to be able to roll out their flagship free school meals scheme.”