PARENTS struggling financially have been given a helping hand after school meal debts were written off by Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Council chiefs confirmed that any outstanding debts racked up by parents/carers unable to pay schools back for dinners have been scrubbed for this new term.
This has now occurred for the second year running because councillors previously agreed to wipe out school meal debts of £17,000 in June last year.
Parents are initially sent a gentle reminder when dinner monies worth £9.50 are due, however further letters continue to be sent as debts mount, and sheriff officers can even be involved to reclaim debts further down the line.
Due to the cost of living crisis more and more parents have been unable to repay these school dinner debts, and Lochar Councillor Tracey Little led the calls for these debts to be cleared.
At the council’s recent education committee, the SNP councillor requested an update on the situation a year later.
She said “I was wondering if we’re managing to help parents and carers so that this situation doesn’t happen again.
“What are we doing to help?”
Alan Mawson, the council’s facilities services manager, responded: “Regarding school meals debt, the Scottish Government has asked us for detail on the debt.
“What we have done, which will be reported to our November committee, is that we have written off debt at the beginning of August.
“So, there’s no debt for school meals once again moving into this new term.
“What we’re doing in terms of promotion for that is trying to ensure we get as many people as possible registered through our universal free school meals and statutory school meals.
“February 2025 will see the expansion of the SCP, which will eliminate further the issues associated with unpaid dinner monies.”
Councillor Little also asked about an update on the uptake of plant-based meal options being offered in schools for pupils who have chosen to follow vegan or vegetarian diets.
It was advised that a full report on this will be provided in November.
Meanwhile, councillors also rubber-stamped previously-announced plans that will see nearly 1000 extra primary pupils receiving free school meals in Dumfries and Galloway within the next six months.
This has been made possible after the council received an additional £427,000 from the Scottish Government to expand the free school meals drive to youngsters in P6 and P7.
The Universal Free School Meals programme was first made available nearly 10 years ago to P1-P3 pupils only, and kids in P4 and P5 were included between 2021 and 2022.
Now, free school meals will be served up to pupils in P6 and P7 – however this is targeted at the poorest children who receive the Scottish Child Payment.
