Free meals will be provided to more North Ayrshire primary school children who need support within the next two years, the council’s cabinet has confirmed.

The Scottish Government has given funding to help make this service complete in two phases. 

The first phase will be an expansion of the eligibility criteria for free school meals for primary school children by incorporating those who are eligible for the Scottish Child Payment.

It is anticipated that this will be implemented around next February.

The second phase of the plan will then be for all remaining primary school children to be included in this provision. 

It is anticipated that the full roll-out will be around February 2026.

As part of the council’s budget settlement for 2024-25, funding has been allocated for the expansion of universal free school meals. 

The anticipated “go live” date for this expansion is February 2025, and at this time it is not yet clear which children this expansion will include. 

To make the most of current funding the cabinet agreed to expand food provision on a temporary basis for primary school children. 

This funding would support providing a healthy mid-morning snack for all children and the availability of ambient food – items that can typically be safely stored at room temperature – in primary schools as required and the purchase of additional equipment to support the expansion of food provision in schools. 

As a universal provision this would ensure anonymity and a dignified food service to all children regardless of eligibility status.

This will be for a temporary provision until the expansion of universal free school meals rolls out to those eligible for the Scottish Child Payment. 

Once this phase is implemented, all funding will be used for the provision of a primary school meal to those eligible under the expanded service.

It was also agreed to expand the Winter Warmer Breakfast initiative in secondary schools for 2024-25. 

This is a service which has been offered over the last two winter periods and is free to all secondary school pupils.

Uptake for this service ranged from eight per cent to 22 per cent across secondary schools. It will run again from November 2024 until the end of March 2025. 

Council leader Marie Burns said: “It is good to see we are now able to run the Winter Warmer Breakfast again,  I think that is very welcome.”

Cabinet approve using existing funding on an interim basis to expand food provision to primary school children in 2024/25 and the use of existing funding on an interim basis to offer breakfast provision at secondary schools in 2024-25.