London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Sadiq Khan’s universal free school meals policy for primary children benefits families, and schools, but raises future funding concerns.
Mayor Sadiq Khan’s decision to support free lunches for every primary school child in London has brought meaningful benefits for London’s children, parents and schools, a report has verified. The research, published discovered that as well as alleviating cost of living pressures, the policy “appears to be helping calmer behaviour in the classroom”.
The results were welcomed by the mayor, but they will also present fresh questions over the future funding of the scheme. The programme delivered meals to 287,000 children in its first year, at a cost of £135m. It is presently in its second year, with the cost having grown to £140m.
Mr Khan pledged in his recent re-election manifesto to “make the condition of universal free school meals permanent, assuring no child in our state primary schools will go hungry”.
Why are funding concerns emerging for the school meals policy?
David Bellamy Chief of Staff to the Mayor, revealed to the London Assembly last month that the mayor’s office was unwilling at this stage to issue a formal decision information which would “lock in” the money to pay for the procedure for the remainder of Mr Khan’s third term, which ends in May 2028.
He expressed this was because of the condition to be completely “confident that the budget is available” each year to implement the policy. “You don’t take formal decisions to commit and lock yourself into contracts unless it’s a good thing to do,” Mr Bellamy said. The policy is presently being budgeted for on a year-by-year basis, though Mr Bellamy indicated that this might change during the budget-setting rotation this winter, or following the Government’s spring spending examination.