Issue - meetings

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

Council notes:

1.         Children in years 3 and above cannot receive free school meals

(FSMs) if their parents are migrants with leave to remain subject to a “no

recourse to public fund” (NRPF) condition, or are undocumented.

2.         These are often some of the poorest and most vulnerable children in

schools. Across the country, many report going hungry; where meals are

provided, parents could receive bills they cannot afford to pay.

3.         Lewisham schools and many other schools across the country use

their discretion to ensure that children do not go hungry, but without any extra

funds to meet the costs.

4.         North East London Migrant Action (NELMA), with the support in the

labour and trade union movements of Labour Campaign for Free Movement

(LCFM), are campaigning for all children who need them to receive FSMs and

to end NRPF policies.

Council believes:

1.         No child should go hungry in school because of their parents’

immigration status.

2.         We oppose the inhumanity and racism of such “hostile environment”

policies.

3.         Free school meals should be a basic right for ALL children who need

them

4.         NRPF policies undermine all workers: when migrant workers are afraid

that losing their job means their children will go hungry or they will have no

social security to fall back on, they are more vulnerable to mistreatment by

exploitative employers, undermining pay and conditions for all of us.

Council resolves to:

1.         Send our support to NELMA and LCFM for the campaign to repeal this

and all the discriminatory NRPF-related policies, and for local authorities to

meet the need for FSMs in the interim.

2.         Lobby government  to this end to provide the funding for children on

FSM.

3.         Continue to work with Lewisham Schools to ensure that NRPF children

that would otherwise be entitled to FSM are provided with them and to

consider issuing guidance to schools, if necessary, until the Government fund

local authorities to provide such meals.

The motion was moved by Councillor Chris Barnham and seconded

by Councillor Sakina Sheikh. Following a contribution from Councillor Stephen

Penfold, the motion was then put to the vote and declared to be unanimously

carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

Council notes:

1. Children in years 3 and above cannot receive free school meals

(FSMs) if their parents are migrants with leave to remain subject to a “no

recourse to public fund” (NRPF) condition, or are undocumented.

2. These are often some of the poorest and most vulnerable children in

schools. Across the country, many report going hungry; where meals are

provided, parents could receive bills they cannot afford to pay.

3. Lewisham schools and many other schools across the country use

their discretion to ensure that children do not go hungry, but without any extra

funds to meet the costs.

4. North East London Migrant Action (NELMA), with the support in the

labour and trade union movements of Labour Campaign for Free Movement

(LCFM), are campaigning for all children who need them to receive FSMs and

to end NRPF policies.

Council believes:

1. No child should go hungry in school because of their parents’

immigration status.

2. We oppose the inhumanity and racism of such “hostile environment”

policies.

3. Free school meals should be a basic right for ALL children who need

them

4. NRPF policies undermine all workers: when migrant workers are afraid

that losing their job means their children will go hungry or they will have no

social security to fall back on, they are more vulnerable to mistreatment by

exploitative employers, undermining pay and conditions for all of us.

Council resolves to:

1. Send our support to NELMA and LCFM for the campaign to repeal this

and all the discriminatory NRPF-related policies, and for local authorities to

meet the need for FSMs in the interim.

2. Lobby government  to this end to provide the funding for children on

FSM.

3. Continue to work with Lewisham Schools to ensure that NRPF children

that would otherwise be entitled to FSM are provided with them and to

consider issuing guidance to schools, if necessary, until the Government fund

local authorities to provide such meals.

The meeting closed at 9.05pm