A NEW policy aimed at managing unpaid primary school meals debt owed by parents and guardians in Monmouthshire could be introduced in the new academic year.

Across the county’s primary schools, the value of debt from unpaid bills for in-school meals totals £8,335 – ranging from £12 at one school to more than £1,000 at another.

Councillors shaping the new policy on the children and young people select committee have agreed that a sensitive approach is needed and stressed a child should not be denied a meal.

The new policy put forward is aimed at ensuring debt does not escalate while at the same time allowing discretion to take account of individual circumstances.

The proposed policy recommended to cabinet members includes that no action is taken to recover debt until the value exceeds £10.

Parents or guardians will receive written advice of the debt on three occasions over a period of three weeks under the plans.

In the event of the debt remaining outstanding, the person responsible would be invited to a meeting to discuss why it exists.

If appropriate, the person responsible for paying would be offered terms to pay the debt over a period of time.

Waiving the debt, or alternative withdrawing the service, would not be undertaken until the person responsible has been advised and given one week to resolve the matter.

Before the debt management process is started, the school would contact the parent or guardian to seek to recover any debt.

The policy would be introduced in the new academic year.

A council report states: “No debt recovery might result in increased debt levels overall if it promoted a view amongst some parents that there are no implications of allowing their account to move into debt.

“Whilst moving to debt recovery at an early stage might appear unnecessarily draconian and resource hungry as accounts may dip in and out of debt but overall remain balanced.

“The process recommended coupled with earlier intervention at school level is seen as an appropriate level of response.”

The annual income generated by the primary school meal service is around £953,000.

Cabinet members will decide on how primary school meal debt should be managed at a meeting on Wednesday, July 4.