Agenda item

Agenda item

Notice of Motion - Free School Meals

Over 42% of Manchester’s children are now living in poverty, according to the figures released in the Government statistics in 2021. The highest density of these residents live in the North and Central of the city, however there are other areas in the South where the residents face the same issues.

 

Free school meals should be available for all primary school children from Reception through to Year 11 and should not be restricted to Key stage 1 only, which is Reception, Year 1 and year 2. New analysis by Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), based on free school meals, showed that children in poverty in England continue to be overlooked by government measures, with over 1 in 3 (800,000) children in poverty not qualifying for free school meals. These figures come as the cost of living crisis continues to worsen and cause hardship.

 

The government must not just stand and watch, this is the time change is needed. The Government must stop the eligibility test for free school meals and not put parents and children through the stigma of being poor. 

 

Free school meals are only provided for those who are eligible, this eligibility is so minute that it leaves a huge gap to those children whose parents are on Universal credit and earn above the threshold of £616.67 per month. Children aged 7-16 are affected by this eligibility as a lot of these children belong to low-income families, whose earnings are over £616.67 per month threshold but the household is below average income.

 

We hear from Headteachers and school staff how children come into school unable to have a warm meal due to the low household incomes. All children should be given meals during the school day without any assessments of parental income. We must make sure each child has the nutrition required for them to be able to concentrate and work to their full potential at school. An empty stomach compromises the child’s learning ability, Children need nutritious warm meals, for the health, wellbeing and development, no child should have to go hungry.

 

Manchester City Council recognised the shortfall, during lockdown due to coronavirus and provided free school meals in the holidays. The Government had not stepped in quick enough, and the Council had already put in the provision to support the families through the most difficult time.  The Council also supported children in vulnerable families known to the school who were outside the scope of free school meals but where an assessment had identified they required extra support in the holidays.

 

Parents are currently struggling with the cost of living; they are unable to source heating bills and will be worried about putting meals on the table. They will worry about using gas or electric cookers and ovens due to the cost of inflation of energy bills. There are hardworking parents out there having to visit food banks to put a meal on the table. Its is heart breaking to see families in our city living through these times. As a Council we are working on this, we are asking all schools to have a named lead on poverty and how they can poverty proof the school day.

 

Greater Manchester poverty action group stated in August 2022 that the number of children in Relative poverty had increased. The statistics for children living in Manchester in poverty have gone from 35.4% 2015 up to 42% in 2021. Year after Year the children of this city have gone deeper into poverty. The government has failed these children since it has come into power, the number of households in poverty has risen and nothing has been done to address this. Now is the time the Government must expand the provision to free school meals for all children.

 

This Council resolves:-

 

(1)      To ask the Leader of the Council to continue to provide support to the most vulnerable in our city

(2)      To request the Leader of the Council writes to Government to call for an extension of free school meals for all children and a review of eligibility criteria, which is currently at £7,400 per annum, is undertaken, to ensure those in need do not miss out (such as 7–16-year-olds). The threshold is currently very low.

(3)      To lobby government to extend the inflationary uplift to benefits in year not just next year, to help struggling families.

 

 

Proposed by Councillor Butt, Seconded by Councillor M Dar and Supported by  Councillors Noor, Bridges, Karney, Douglas, Reid, Abdullatif and Amin

 

Minutes:

Proposed and seconded:

 

Over 42% of Manchester’s children are now living in poverty, according to the figures released in the Government statistics in 2021. The highest density of these residents live in the North and Central of the city, however there are other areas in the South where the residents face the same issues.

 

Free school meals should be available for all primary school children from Reception through to Year 11 and should not be restricted to Key stage 1 only, which is Reception, Year 1 and year 2. New analysis by Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), based on free school meals, showed that children in poverty in England continue to be overlooked by government measures, with over 1 in 3 (800,000) children in poverty not qualifying for free school meals. These figures come as the cost of living crisis continues to worsen and cause hardship.

 

The government must not just stand and watch, this is the time change is needed. The Government must stop the eligibility test for free school meals and not put parents and children through the stigma of being poor. 

 

Free school meals are only provided for those who are eligible, this eligibility is so minute that it leaves a huge gap to those children whose parents are on Universal credit and earn above the threshold of £616.67 per month. Children aged 7-16 are affected by this eligibility as a lot of these children belong to low-income families, whose earnings are over £616.67 per month threshold but the household is below average income.

 

We hear from Headteachers and school staff how children come into school unable to have a warm meal due to the low household incomes. All children should be given meals during the school day without any assessments of parental income. We must make sure each child has the nutrition required for them to be able to concentrate and work to their full potential at school. An empty stomach compromises the child’s learning ability, Children need nutritious warm meals, for the health, wellbeing and development, no child should have to go hungry.

 

Manchester City Council recognised the shortfall, during lockdown due to coronavirus and provided free school meals in the holidays. The Government had not stepped in quick enough, and the Council had already put in the provision to support the families through the most difficult time.  The Council also supported children in vulnerable families known to the school who were outside the scope of free school meals but where an assessment had identified they required extra support in the holidays.

 

Parents are currently struggling with the cost of living; they are unable to source heating bills and will be worried about putting meals on the table. They will worry about using gas or electric cookers and ovens due to the cost of inflation of energy bills. There are hardworking parents out there having to visit food banks to put a meal on the table. Its is heart breaking to see families in our city living through these times. As a Council we are working on this, we are asking all schools to have a named lead on poverty and how they can poverty proof the school day.

 

Greater Manchester poverty action group stated in August 2022 that the number of children in Relative poverty had increased. The statistics for children living in Manchester in poverty have gone from 35.4% 2015 up to 42% in 2021. Year after Year the children of this city have gone deeper into poverty. The government has failed these children since it has come into power, the number of households in poverty has risen and nothing has been done to address this. Now is the time the Government must expand the provision to free school meals for all children.

 

This Council resolves:-

 

(1)      To ask the Leader of the Council to continue to provide support to the most vulnerable in our city

(2)      To request the Leader of the Council writes to Government to call for an extension of free school meals for all children and a review of eligibility criteria, which is currently at £7,400 per annum, is undertaken, to ensure those in need do not miss out (such as 7–16-year-olds). The threshold is currently very low.

(3)      To lobby government to extend the inflationary uplift to benefits in year not just next year, to help struggling families.

 

Resolution

 

The motion was put to Council and voted on and the Lord Mayor declared that it was carried unanimously.

 

Decisions

 

1.    To ask the Leader of the Council to continue to provide support to the most vulnerable in our city.

2.    To request the Leader of the Council writes to Government to call for an extension of free school meals for all children and a review of eligibility criteria, which is currently at £7,400 per annum, is undertaken, to ensure those in need do not miss out (such as 7–16-year-olds). The threshold is currently very low.

3.    To lobby government to extend the inflationary uplift to benefits in year not just next year, to help struggling families.