Free school meals for Walsall children in place by September

Walsall Council's catering service is working closely alongside schools in the borough to meet the Government's pledge to provide a meal for all four to seven-year-olds in state-funded schools.

The Government has set aside £150 million of capital funding in 2014/15 to support the roll-out of the Universal infant free school meals initiative across the country. Walsall Council has been awarded £590,000 to distribute among schools to ensure they are able to provide a healthy lunch for all Reception, year one and year two pupils.

Schools have been able to submit requests to the council for funding to help provide additional equipment, staff or other items which they need to help them with an increased meal take up.

Issues faced by schools, include insufficient dining room space, cutlery, chairs, and the need for extra ovens, larger dishwasher and general equipment.

Chris Holliday, the council's head of leisure and community health, said: "Talks with schools in Walsall are well advanced and we are confident that we will be in a strong position to role this out across the borough in September."

And he went on to say: "For some schools it is more challenging than others and we will continue to work closely with these schools over the next few weeks to offer them as much help and support as we can prior to the start of the autumn term."

It comes after reports that a row had broken out between Nick Clegg and education secretary Michael Gove over the free meals plans.

It was claimed Mr Gove objected to the way Mr Clegg's £1bn free school meal policy was costed, and a senior education official warned in a letter to the treasury that the government 'must not risk forcing schools to subsidise meals by reducing their spending on teaching and learning'.

It led to accusations the Mr Gove had become 'obsessed with free schools at the expense of other aspects of education.

But he was this week defended by David Cameron.