Parties agree to call on Government to continue free school meals in holidays

The motion, known as a white paper, called on Leeds City Council to continue to put pressure on Government to provide an equivalent free school meals scheme during the school holidays, such is the economic impact of Covid-19 on low-income households.

It follows the government’s recent announcement that it would, in fact, fund free school meals in the holidays for poorer children for the next 12 months.

The debate that followed included a moving speech from deputy leader of the opposition Conservatives group, confirming his group would have voted in favour of the motion even if the government had not made the free school meals pledge.

Proposing the motion to a full Leeds City Council meeting, Coun Diane Chapman (Lib Dem) said: “I’m sure all council members will have welcomed the news over the weekend of another government U-turn.

“While this is good news and provides a level of certainty over a longer period, it isn’t a permanent solution to the problem of holiday hunger.

“Over the past 12 months, I have seen the usage of food banks grow in my ward – this is a ward not considered to be a deprived area, although we have seen a sustained increase in demand of at least 250 percent during the Covid pandemic.

“The government should extend the free school meals eligibility to every pupil whose parents or guardians are in receipt of Universal Credit.”

She added eligibility should also extend to low-income families, adding: “So many children living in poverty in need of free school meals miss out because the earning threshold is set too low.

“We need to ensure equitable distribution of funds, based on need, not geography. No child should go hungry in this city, nor in this country.”

Coun Ryan Stephenson (Con) proposed an amendment to Labour’s motion, inviting members to support the Government’s recent decision to fund free school meals in the holidays, while he also claimed food vouchers were an inefficient way of helping struggling families.

He said: “I wanted to move this amendment to bolster the motion. It’s important to provide context to this debate.

“Nearly a quarter of all those eligible for free school meals in Leeds don’t actually claim their entitlement, instead those children are sent to school by the parents with a packed lunch.

“I would encourage the council to look at why families choose not to claim free school meals in schools.

“I would also urge the council to steer away from the one-off food voucher. Those who support one off-food vouchers fail to recognise the reality for the poorest households and how they buy goods.

“A food voucher that can only be used at a chain supermarket is of no use to a family that buys fresh food cheaper at a market or local store.

“School leaders and staff are also under extra pressure, having the burden of having to administer the vouchers.

“It’s not an acceptable or sustainable way to deal with the issue.”

A motion put forward by Labour MPs calling for free school meals to be extended over school holidays until Easter 2021 was voted on by MPs in Parliament. It was defeated by 261 votes to 322 – majority 61 – in the Commons on Wednesday, October 21.

Three Leeds MPs – Andrea Jenkyns, Stuart Andrew and Alec Shelbrooke – voted against the bill.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has since pledged that free school meals during school holidays would be funded by government for the next 12 months.

A visibly emotional Coun Alan Lamb (Con) told the meeting: “30 years ago, I was a free school meals child at school. I rarely had my free school meal – I was one who didn’t take it.

“Why? The school meals at my school were awful, and in those days you had a little card. And everybody knew you were a free school meals child – I chose instead to play football with my friends.

“I do know what it’s like to feel hungry, and it’s not a feeling that leaves you ever.

“Six years ago, I became a provider of school meals through my business. My memory of school meals was one of my driving ambitions for doing that.

“Nobody wants children to go hungry. Nobody. It’s been hard being a Conservative over the last few weeks, and I am pleased that the government has finally made the right decision.

“If they hadn’t have, we would have supported this white paper today anyway. We would have probably made an amendment, but we would have voted with you.

“The reasons for child poverty have been exacerbated by the pandemic, but that is not the cause. They existed 30 years ago, 50 years ago and under the last Labour government.

“It is a complicated issue, and there are many things to be done to tackle it. What’s been announced over the weekend are sticking plasters – there is a lot more work needed to be done to tackle this issue.”

Coun Chris Howley (Lab) said: “The U-turn has come too late – families have been under stress which was needless, and the lateness in making this decision, has led to councils across the country to use their scarce resources, time and money for care on needy families.

“This U-turn was only the result of Marcus Rashford’s intervention – who through personal experience has finally convinced government for what most of us know to be true.

“Hunger hurts, hunger is pain, hunger is debilitating, and it is utterly shameful that the UK – a wealthy first world country – has food poverty problems today.

“It is shameful that it needs to make emergency provisions to feed its children. It is shameful that we must depend on food banks more than ever. It is shameful the government has dug its heels in until it was embarrassed by an influential celebrity to address a problem.”

The two main parties on the council – Labour and the Conservatives – both supported the Liberal Democrats’ motion, while councillors from the Green Party, Morley Borough Independents and Garforth and Swillington Independents also voting in favour.

It read: “This Council implores the government to implement, as a matter of urgency, a free schools meal equivalent scheme for all eligible children during school holidays and lockdowns.”