The leader and chief executive of Moray Council may have to write to the Scottish Government outlining the local authority’s inability to provide more free school meals if full funding is not forthcoming.
Concerns were raised at a reconvened meeting of the education, children’s and leisure services committee today over the costs of rolling out the key SNP policy for pupils in primary six and seven.
Plans to introduce the last phase of the universal free school meals for older children in August have been pushed back because of the costs to councils, with discussions on the final funding pot for local authorities between Cosla and the government still ongoing.
The rollout of free lunches for primary six and seven pupils would cost the council £1.2 million in capital funding.
This includes reinstating servery kitchens at Portgordon and Findochty as well as expanding dining areas at Aberlour, Bishopmill in Elgin and Cluny in Forres.
Additional equipment is also required including ovens, fridges, freezers, food mixers, dishwashers, potato rumblers, a food steamer, mobile hot and cold trolleys, seats and tables.
To deliver the extra 1,852 meals a day is expected to cost the council around £1.17 million a year.
Conservative member for Elgin North Frank Brown put forward a motion that the council would be unable to fully provide universal free school meals in the absence of full funding from the Scottish Government.
He also called for the leader of the council to write to education minister Shirley-Anne Somerville, and for chief executive Roddy Burns to send a letter to permanent secretary John Paul Marks outlining concerns.
Mr Brown said: “If we don’t get that funding from the Scottish Government it puts us in breach of our statutory duty or we have to make savings elsewhere.
“Roads, social care, economic development it could be anywhere, and there is already £20 million in savings we have to find.”
However, council leader Graham Leadbitter, who is the SNP councillor for Elgin South, disagreed, and put forward an amendment that the committee consider and note the information contained in report, with an updated one to come back to councillors once the funding allocation for implementing free meals for pupils in P6 and P7 is agreed.
He said: “Discussions are continuing between the Scottish Government and Cosla on what the capital requirement would be.
“That’s a negotiation, as you would do if we (the council) were giving money to a project. It’s due diligence.
“I don’t think we should be hamstringing a new council into this.”
Independent councillor for Forres George Alexander disagreed. He said: “I think it’s a good idea to write and point out we can’t do this without full funding.”
Following his amendment, Mr Leadbitter offered to write to the education secretary with members of the committee given sight of the letter before it is sent.
However, members voted by eight to five for the motion. The decision will now go to the full council for consideration.
