Wokingham councillors urge MP to promote 'permanent' free school meals for students

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) leader John Halsall and Children's Services Executive Cllr UllaKarin Clark, wrote a joint letter to Gavin Williamson MP, Education Secretary, asking that the option for a permanent fixture of free school meals to primary-aged children be granted, whilst the pandemic continues.

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This request follows after it was revealed a large number of MPs, including Wokingham MP John Redwood, voted against directly funding free school meals over the school holidays during the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Cllr Clark said: “The pandemic has demonstrated that there is a real need among large numbers of young children to receive proper nutritious meals.

“That’s why the Leader and I have written to the Secretary of State for Education asking for consideration to be given to ensure all primary school children get free school meals on a permanent basis.

Wokingham Borough Conservatives call for permanent school meals for all primary pupils

“The Liberal Democrats’ motion would have asked us to do something we have already done, and indeed, we had gone much further than their motion suggested."

The councillors also asked to look into an uplift in Universal Credit, as well as an expansion of meals to pupils with no recourse to public funds.

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Cllr Clark added: “The Conservative administration at Wokingham Borough Council believe that it is right and proper for the Government to ensure that no young child goes hungry.

“The 87 per cent uptake of the free school meal by Reception, Year one and Year two nationwide clearly shows there is a need.

“For this reason, we have asked the Department for Education to ensure that all primary school children have free school meals on a permanent basis."