Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has today spoken out about her concern that the Welsh Government do not know the number of primary schools in Wales requiring upgrades to their kitchens.
The Member for Aberconwy asked Jeremy Miles MS, Minister for Education and Welsh Language:
- “Will the Minister state how many primary schools in Wales currently require upgrades to their kitchens in response to the universal free school meal policy?”
The Minister’s response includes:
- “Further work will take place during October to understand whether any additional kitchen upgrade works are required to deliver the next stages of universal primary free school meals. With this in mind, it is not currently possible to confirm the number of primary schools in Wales requiring upgrades to their kitchens”.
Commenting on the response from the Welsh Government, Janet said:
“Setting aside the debate as to whether it is fair that tax payers’ money is being used to fund free school meals for children of the wealthiest in society, it is reasonable to expect that the costs of the policy have been fully established.
“Despite the rollout of the scheme having commenced, the Welsh Labour Government and their co-operation partners in Plaid Cymru have no idea how many schools in Wales require upgrades to their kitchens.
“Without the staff that are employed to work in our school kitchens in Aberconwy and across Wales, the delivery of the universal offer would not be possible. However, I find it completely unacceptable that the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru have not established how many of those invaluable teams require kitchen upgrades to undertake their work”.
Laura Anne Jones MS, Shadow Minister for Education, added:
“I’m disappointed but not surprised by the Welsh Government, it was clear for several months that upgrades and altercations would be needed for a number of school kitchens across Wales so that they had the capacity to deliver from the get-go.
“To now find out that they aren’t even sure of which schools need upgrades is even more concerning, once again we’re seeing the Welsh Government’s words not matching the reality on the ground when it comes to policy announcements.
“The Minister now needs to urgently get a grip on the situation so we know which kitchens need upgrading, so that our schools and councils can get on with delivering.”
ENDS/
Notes:
Written Question by Janet Finch-Saunders MS:
“Will the Minister state how many primary schools in Wales currently require upgrades to their kitchens in response to the universal free school meal policy?”
Response by Jeremy Miles MS, Minister for Education and Welsh Language:
“£260m has been committed to support delivery of universal free school meals to primary learners by 2024, this includes £25m initial capital funding allocated in 2021-22 and a further £35m capital announced and allocated recently in 2022-23. This capital funding has enabled local authorities to do the necessary upgrades to kitchens in their primary schools. We will continue to work with local authorities who require additional support to deliver the commitment.
“Since our commitment to deliver universal primary free school meals, my officials have supported local authorities to plan for and manage the roll-out. Throughout the summer officials have met with individual catering managers, benefit leads and representatives from local authorities to offer support and to gain assurance of their readiness for the roll-out in September.
“In recent meetings with local authorities my officials have been informed that most planned kitchen upgrade works in support of the first stage of delivery have been completed during the summer holiday period. However, and reflecting the phased nature of the rollout, further work will take place during October to understand whether any additional kitchen upgrade works are required to deliver the next stages of universal primary free school meals. With this in mind, it is not currently possible to confirm the number of primary schools in Wales requiring upgrades to their kitchens.
“I am pleased to note that delivery towards the universal primary free school meals commitment has made significant progress in a short space of time. Local authorities and schools have embraced this policy and the speed at which they and our public services have worked together to begin providing free school meals is remarkable.
“From the beginning of September all local authorities began delivering the free school meal offer to Reception pupils and eight local authorities also rolled out to years one and two. 45,000 pupils are already receiving the universal primary free school meal offer. The majority of the remainder of local authorities are expected to begin roll out to years one and two by April 2023 when 66,000 pupils will become eligible for primary free school meals in our first year of delivery.
“This work is being carried out as part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. This is a hugely ambitious policy and is just the start of the roll-out. We will continue to work with local authorities on plans to extend the scheme further into the 2023-24 academic year to meet the commitment for all primary school pupils to receive a free school meal by 2024”.
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi mynegi ei phryder heddiw nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn gwybod faint o ysgolion cynradd yng Nghymru sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio ar eu ceginau.
Gofynnodd yr Aelod dros Aberconwy i Jeremy Miles AS, Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg:
- “A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatgan faint o ysgolion cynradd yng Nghymru sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio ar eu ceginau ar hyn o bryd mewn ymateb i’r polisi prydau ysgol am ddim cynhwysol?”
Roedd ymateb y Gweinidog yn cynnwys:
- “Bydd gwaith pellach yn digwydd yn ystod mis Hydref i nodi a oes angen gwneud unrhyw waith uwchraddio ychwanegol ar geginau er mwyn cyflwyno camau nesaf prydau ysgol am ddim cynhwysol. I’r perwyl hwn, nid yw’n bosibl ar hyn o bryd cadarnhau nifer yr ysgolion cynradd yng Nghymru sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio ar eu ceginau”.
Wrth gyfeirio at ymateb Llywodraeth Cymru, dywedodd Janet:
“Gan roi’r ddadl ynglŷn â thegwch defnyddio arian trethdalwyr i ariannu prydau ysgol am ddim i blant y bobl fwyaf cyfoethog mewn cymdeithas i’r naill ochr, mae’n rhesymol disgwyl bod costau’r polisi wedi eu sefydlu’n llawn.
“Er bod y cynllun wedi dechrau cael ei gyflwyno, nid oes syniad gan Lywodraeth Lafur Cymru a’u partneriaid cydweithio ym Mhlaid Cymru faint o ysgolion yng Nghymru sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio ar eu ceginau.
“Heb y staff sy’n cael eu cyflogi i weithio yng ngheginau ysgolion yn Aberconwy ac ar draws Cymru, ni fyddai modd cyflwyno’r cynnig cynhwysol. Fodd bynnag, mae’n gwbl annerbyniol nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru a Phlaid Cymru wedi sefydlu faint o’r timau gwerthfawr hynny sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio ar eu ceginau er mwyn ymgymryd â’u gwaith”.
Ychwanegodd Laura Anne Jones AS, Gweinidog Addysg yr Wrthblaid:
“Rwyf wedi fy siomi ond heb fy synnu gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Mae wedi bod yn amlwg am sawl mis y byddai angen gwaith uwchraddio a newid ar nifer o geginau ysgol ledled Cymru fel bod ganddyn nhw’r gallu i gyflawni o’r cychwyn cyntaf.
“Mae cael ar ddeall nawr nad ydyn nhw hyd yn oed yn siŵr pa ysgolion sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio yn peri mwy fyth o bryder. Unwaith eto, gyda chyhoeddiadau polisi, nid yw geiriau Llywodraeth Cymru yn cyfateb i’r realiti ar lawr gwlad.
“Mae angen i’r Gweinidog fynd i’r afael â’r sefyllfa ar fyrder er mwyn i ni wybod pa geginau sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio, fel bod ysgolion a chynghorau yn gallu bwrw ymlaen i gyflawni.”
DIWEDD
Llun: Janet Finch-Saunders AS/MS
Nodiadau:
Cwestiwn Ysgrifenedig gan Janet Finch-Saunders AS:
“A wnaiff y Gweinidog ddatgan faint o ysgolion cynradd yng Nghymru sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio ar eu ceginau ar hyn o bryd mewn ymateb i’r polisi prydau ysgol am ddim cynhwysol?”
Ymateb gan Jeremy Miles AS, Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg:
“Mae £260 miliwn wedi ei ymrwymo i gefnogi cyflwyno prydau ysgol am ddim cynhwysol i ddysgwyr cynradd erbyn 2024. Mae hyn yn cynnwys £25m o gyllid cyfalaf cychwynnol a ddyrannwyd yn 2021-22 a chyfalaf pellach o £35m a gyhoeddwyd ac a ddyrannwyd yn ddiweddar yn 2022-23. Mae’r cyllid cyfalaf hwn wedi galluogi awdurdodau lleol i wneud y gwaith uwchraddio angenrheidiol i geginau yn eu hysgolion cynradd. Byddwn yn parhau i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol sydd angen cymorth ychwanegol i gyflawni’r ymrwymiad.
“Ers ein hymrwymiad i ddarparu prydau ysgol am ddim cynhwysol, mae fy swyddogion wedi cefnogi awdurdodau lleol i gynllunio a rheoli’r gwaith o’u cyflwyno. Drwy gydol yr haf, mae swyddogion wedi cyfarfod â rheolwyr arlwyo unigol, arweinwyr budd-daliadau a chynrychiolwyr o awdurdodau lleol i gynnig cefnogaeth ac i gael sicrwydd eu bod yn barod i’w cyflwyno ym mis Medi.
“Yn ystod cyfarfodydd diweddar gydag awdurdodau lleol, mae fy swyddogion wedi cael gwybod bod y rhan fwyaf o waith uwchraddio arfaethedig ar geginau i gefnogi cam cyntaf y ddarpariaeth wedi cael ei gwblhau yn ystod gwyliau’r haf. Fodd bynnag, a chan adlewyrchu natur raddol y cyflwyno, bydd gwaith pellach yn digwydd yn ystod mis Hydref i nodi a oes angen gwneud unrhyw waith uwchraddio ychwanegol ar geginau er mwyn cyflwyno camau nesaf prydau ysgol am ddim cynhwysol. I’r perwyl hwn, nid yw’n bosibl ar hyn o bryd cadarnhau nifer yr ysgolion cynradd yng Nghymru sydd angen gwaith uwchraddio ar eu ceginau.
“Mae’n bleser gennyf nodi bod cyflawni tuag at yr ymrwymiad prydau am ddim cynhwysol mewn ysgolion cynradd wedi gwneud cynnydd sylweddol mewn amser byr. Mae awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion wedi croesawu’r polisi hwn ac mae’n rhyfeddol pa mor gyflym maen nhw a’n gwasanaethau cyhoeddus wedi cydweithio i ddechrau darparu prydau ysgol am ddim.
“O ddechrau mis Medi, aeth pob awdurdod lleol ati i gyflwyno’r cynnig prydau ysgol am ddim i’r disgyblion derbyn, gydag wyth awdurdod lleol yn ei gyflwyno i ddisgyblion blwyddyn un a dau hefyd. Mae 45,000 o ddisgyblion eisoes yn derbyn y cynnig prydau bwyd am ddim cynhwysol i ysgolion cynradd. Disgwylir i’r rhan fwyaf o’r awdurdodau lleol sy’n weddill ddechrau eu cyflwyno i flynyddoedd un a dau erbyn mis Ebrill 2023, pan fydd 66,000 o ddisgyblion cynradd yn gymwys i gael prydau ysgol am ddim ym mlwyddyn gyntaf cyflwyno’r cynllun.
“Mae’r gwaith hwn yn cael ei wneud fel rhan o’r Trefniant Cydweithio rhwng Llywodraeth Cymru a Phlaid Cymru. Mae hwn yn bolisi hynod uchelgeisiol a dim ond dechrau’r broses o’i gyflwyno yw hyn. Byddwn yn parhau i weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol ar gynlluniau i ymestyn y cynllun ymhellach i’r flwyddyn academaidd 2023-24 er mwyn cyflawni’r ymrwymiad i bob disgybl ysgol gynradd dderbyn pryd bwyd am ddim erbyn 2024”.
