Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Roberts introduced the report and explained that Welsh Government (WG) and Plaid Cymru had made a commitment to ensure all primary school aged children could access a free school meal by 2024.

Implementation of universal primary free school meals (UPFSM) would be phased.  The first rollout in Flintshire commenced in September 2022 to Reception aged children, the second phase would commence in April 2023 to children in Years 1 and 2. 

A significant amount of work had been completed and would continue into 2023 to ensure the infrastructure, equipment, resource and processes were in place to enable full implementation of UPFSM.

The report provided a progress update on local implementation of UPFSM.

Councillor Roberts thanked everybody involved in the preparation preparing for the implementation of this scheme, including head teachers and staff in schools to ensure they could facilitate the rollout.  The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) paid tribute to colleagues across several portfolios for their work on the rollout.  She stressed the importance of families who were entitled to free school meals still needing to apply for them as those numbers were key indicators for schools and the provision of funding. 

Councillor Healey welcomed the scheme, particularly during the cost of living crisis and reinforced the message from the Chief Officer about eligible families continuing to apply for free school meals. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the progress made to date on implementation of UPFSM be noted; and

(b)       That the resource implications and risks identified in relation to UPFSM be noted.