Council raises concerns after school-meal fund scrapped by Government

The Government last week announced it was stopping its 'small school funding' - part of its Universal Free Meal initiative announced in 2014 to provide free school meals to all four-to-seven-year-olds.

The fund, which has paid out more than £32 million to around 3,000 schools since it was set-up, helped first and primary schools with fewer than 150 pupils ensure they could provide free hot meals for every pupil in Reception and Years 1 and 2.

In its first year, up to £3,000 was made available to smaller schools, but this was scaled down to £2,300 last year. Now the scheme is being scrapped altogether from next month. In Northumberland, around 80 schools will be affected by the withdrawing of the fund.

Council Leader Grant Davey said: "This is yet another blow for rural councils - but more importantly it is a blow for hard-working parents and the young children at many of our smaller schools.

"School budgets are already under a lot of pressure with rising costs and shrinking budgets. Small schools are often especially hard pressed and this cut will be yet another blow to them."

Despite the withdrawal of the 'small school funding', schools will continue to receive funding of £2.30 per meal served to children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 until at least July 2017.