FOI Request - Free School Meal Allocation
Request 101002809810
Can you tell me:
1. How much each pupil is allocated per day if they are entitled to free school meals (primary and secondary)
2. What happens to the money at the end of each day if all/some has not been spent by the pupil (i.e. does it roll over to the next day? Does it get cleared each day?)
3. If it gets cleared each day, where does the money go? Back to council funds? If so, do you tell the Scottish Government it was not spent? If you keep it, what do you use it for?
4. How much money for free school meal allocation was unspent over the last 3 years, and where did the money go?
Response 16-06-21
1. Primary £2.30, Secondary £2.40
2. Money is cleared off account after Lunchtime
3a. Yes.
3b. No.
3c. It is part of the general revenue grant allocated to each Council from the Scottish Government and this can be spent on any council service agreed locally by councillors.
4. Budget allocation for free school meals is set by councillors locally depending on need and it is funded from the Council’s general revenue grant (details of which can be found on the Scottish Government website). As the Council is required to provide FSM to eligible pupils then budget is allocated to match the actual costs.
Actual FSM costs charged to Education for the last 3 years for Moray was:
Actual
20-21 £764,238 (reduction due to Covid, excludes the cost of FSM vouchers)
19-20 £1,256,073
18-19 £1,233,914