To implement a recent Government grant funded initiative to provide free school meals for infant children. To agree arrangements that will be put in place to implement free school meals for infant children from September and to advise schools of a recommended paid meal price increase  to £2.30.

Councillor Tony Smith presented a report by the Director of Children’s Services that sought the Cabinet’s approval for an increase in the price of all paid school meals provided by METRO services to £2.30 with effect from 1 September 2014.  In addition the report set out the arrangements that would need to be put in place in order to implement the new statutory requirement for universal free schools meal for infants from September 2014.

Attached to the report at Appendix A was the School Meals Service Trading Account 2013-14.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the price of a paid school meal be increased to £2.30 from September 2014 in primary schools where services are provided by METRO Services and this increase be recommended to governing bodies of primary and special schools;

(2)  Subject to the Council’s approval, the capital grant received to implement universal free school meals for infants in maintained schools totalling £623,802 be included with the capital programme for 2014-15 and be used to progress the range of schemes described; and

(3)  METRO school kitchen staffing number be increased to take account of additional meal numbers, with costs funded by schools and a Department for Education revenue grant based on £2.30 per additional free meal served.

Councillor G Davies left the meeting whilst the next item of business was under consideration.