Pupils who owe more than a penny on their school meal accounts won’t be fed, a headteacher has told parents.
With debts for school meals totalling £1,800 parents have been given until November 19 to get them up to date, said Neil Foden, strategic head of 450-pupil Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle in Penygroes, Gwynedd.
Angry parents said the school cook had been told not to give food to any child “if their debt has not been cleared, or, in the future, to children whose accounts do not have enough money to pay for lunch”.
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In an email to parents Mr Foden apologised but said action had to be taken. He said there had been a deficit in the school meals budget : “Closer inspection revealed that this was because a handful of pupils had run up debts totalling more than £1,800. Unfortunately, this means that I have had to take the following steps.”
He said all debts over £10 will be transferred to the authority and parents will be invoiced by the council.
The message added: “All debts of over £0.01 will receive a message from the school to clear debts and credit the system by Friday, November 19th.”
Further steps will include refusing to serve children at the 11-18 school unless there accounts are clear.
Mr Foden said the “scale of the default means that something clearly has to be done”.
But parents described the move as shocking. It has attracted widespread criticism on social media.
Darren Owen wrote: “Absolutely shocking. What the hell’s wrong with system, the child might not know mam and dad are struggling to pay, it might be the only food that child eats that day.”
Another parent said: “If they would actually let you pay your £1.60 bill Without having to pay a min payment of £10, would be a help. Seriously!”
A third said that while parents accept bills need to be paid “imagine a child getting his food then being told you’re not eating today sorry, then having to leave”.
Gwynedd Council said in a statement: “We would urge any parent or guardian who are having difficulty in paying for their child’s school meals to contact the education department or school directly. Their child may be entitled to free school meals.
“In terms of payment of school meals, an online system has been introduced on which parents should ensure that sufficient funds are in place to pay for their child’s school meals.
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