COUNCILLORS in Monmouthshire have called for “sensitivity” in the authority’s approach to the unpaid primary school meals debt owed by parents and guardians.

The council’s children and young people select committee agreed that the outstanding balance of £8,335 had to be managed appropriately.

A report revealed that the level of debt ranged from £12 at one school to more than £1,000 at another.

But Conservative councillor Maureen Powell warned against withdrawing school meals from a child if their parents’ or guardians’ debt remains unpaid.

“I think that the worst thing that we could ever do is give them something different, that poor child would be isolated,” said Cllr Powell on Thursday.

“For many children in some areas that’s the only cooked meal that they ever get because their parents either haven’t had time or don’t really know how to cook.

“The best thing that could be done is to actually speak to the parents, rather than letters, to find out the reason why [they can’t repay their debt].”

Roger Hoggins, the council’s head of operations, said such a withdrawal “would be seen as draconian” but asserted that procedures had to be put in place to prevent escalating debt.

Mr Hoggins also said that the main issue was not the value of debt, which represents less than one per cent of the £953,000 generated annually by the service.

But Labour councillor Tudor Thomas said families could be “struggling” after the Conservative council’s decision to raise the cost of school meals from £2.10 to £2.45.

“If you have three children that £36.75 a week, and £147 a month,” he said.

“I know you’re not going to adopt a ‘bread and water’ routine, and I would certainly not support that as we’d be going back to the days of Oliver Twist.”

Concerns were also raised about the ‘Parent Pay’ system, the online service which parents and guardians use to pay for school meals and other activities.

Conservative councillor Laura Jones feared the schools faced with the higher levels of debt could put additional pressure on administrative staff.

But finance manager Nikki Wellington said the system did “most of the work” for administrative staff and that Parent Pay offered greater protection.

“Before parents had to go into the school and pay by cash or cheque, which they can still do,” said Ms Wellington.

“The administrator would have to go down to the bank two to three times a week and cash that money in.

“I think [schools] would be very upset if we were to take [Parent Pay] away from them because of the security that it offers, and the audit process is a lot tighter.”