Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on the agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Douglas declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 4 (School Meals) as the parent of a child who used the school meals service.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services Decision Session held on 9 June 2009.

RESOLVED:            That the minutes of the last meeting of the Executive Member

for Children and Young People’s Services and Advisory Panel held on 9 June 2009 be approved and signed as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak at the meeting can do so.  The deadline for registering is Friday 17 July 2009 at 5.00 pm.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

With the consent of the Executive Member, Councillor Douglas spoke on Agenda Item 4 (School Meals).  Councillor Douglas stated that, on behalf of parents in the City of York she urged that the price of school meals not be increased.  She drew attention to the effects of the recession on families and stated that she believed that an increase in school meal prices would result in more children taking a packed lunch to school or buying food from takeaways.  This would impact on the targets that had been set in respect of Healthy Eating and Childhood Obesity.  She urged that Option 2 in the report be approved.  Councillor Douglas stated that it was also important to find a way of helping families in receipt of working family tax credits.  The proposed increase in school meal prices would particularly impact on families with more than one child.

This report considers the following issues:

• The school meals price to be charged from September 2009
• The allocation of the School Lunch Grant

RESOLVED:            (i)            That the Executive Member approves option 3 (a selling

price of £2.15 per primary meal) and the grant be used to fund one off initiatives in accordance with the criteria shown in paragraph 13 of the report including:

·        The contingency required to fund the shortfall between the contract price and the cost of providing school meals if take up is lower than that predicted, approximately £20k.

·        To fund the introduction of dishwashers in all schools (whether in the catering contract or not) that do not have them (19) as these save on staff time, water and energy consumption, approximately £160k.

·        Other one off initiatives at the request of schools or arising out of work with the School Food Trust leaving a modest carry forward for 2010/11.

(ii)               That officers be requested to look at ways in which it may be possible in the future to provide assistance to families in receipt of Working Tax Credit.

(iii)             That officers continue to work with schools to promote the take-up of meals and to ensure that who are eligible are aware of their entitlement to free school meals.

REASONS:            (i)            To allow for the purchase of equipment to improve

the working conditions and efficiency of staff and to enable a lower than anticipated selling price increase (10p instead of 15p).

(ii) To promote the take-up of school meals.

The Executive Member received a report on School Meals and was requested to consider:

·        The school meals price to be charged from September 2009

·        The allocation of the School Lunch Grant.

Officers stated that it was recognised that school meals were an important part of the school day and were keen to ensure that affordable, nutritious and high quality meals  were provided.

In July 2007, the Schools Forum had been consulted on the school meals prices from September 2009.  The Executive Member was asked to confirm the uplift in school meal prices as agreed in July 2007, or to allocate the School Lunch Grant in such a way as to vary the agreed uplift in school meal prices given alternative calls on this grant funding.

The Executive Member gave consideration to the following options:

• Option 1 (freezing the selling price) would require most of the grant to be used to subsidise the contract in 2009/10, leaving very little funding for other initiatives/equipment
• Option 2 (a 5p (2.4%) increase in the selling price), would leave a significant amount available for equipment, but leaves no carry forward into 2010/11
• Option 3 (a 10p (4.9%) increase in the selling price), would leave a target amount for equipment, and leaves a small carry-forward into 2010/11
• Option 4 (a 15p (7.3%) increase in the selling price to the price set out in the last Schools Forum report), would leave an amount for equipment, and leave a significant carry-forward into 2010/11.

The Executive Member questioned officers on the proposed price increase. The questions raised and officer responses are attached at Annex 1 to the minutes.

The Executive Member expressed concern at the situation that would be faced when the School Lunch Grant came to an end. She stated that she was also mindful of the difficulties that families were facing because of the recession and urged that everything possible be done to promote the take-up of free school meals.

RESOLVED:            (i)            That the Executive Member approves option 3 (a selling

price of £2.15 per primary meal) and the grant be used to fund one off initiatives in accordance with the criteria shown in paragraph 13 of the report including:

·        The contingency required to fund the shortfall between the contract price and the cost of providing school meals if take up is lower than that predicted, approximately £20k.

·        To fund the introduction of dishwashers in all schools (whether in the catering contract or not) that do not have them (19) as these save on staff time, water and energy consumption, approximately £160k.

·        Other one off initiatives at the request of schools or arising out of work with the School Food Trust leaving a modest carry forward for 2010/11.

(ii)               That officers be requested to prepare a report on the implications of providing assistance to families in receipt of working tax credits when future school meal prices are set.

(iii)             That officers continue to work with schools to promote the take-up of meals and to ensure that who  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.