Reprieve for now
Brekkie clubs stay
A Newmains councillor is pleased the decision to axe school breakfast clubs has been shelved for the foreseeable future.
Robert McKendrick was speaking following the ruling Labour minority administration’s announced that until the review into the clubs are completed there will be no change to existing clubs at schools across the local authority area.
Councillor McKendrick, one of only two independent members within North Lanarkshire, said: “I have always been keen to keep the breakfast clubs.
“St Brigid’s Primary received an award for the best breakfast club in Scotland a few years ago.
“I’m pleased that the council have agreed to review it.
“Speaking to parents at recent parent council meetings there have been concerns about this.”
The focus on breakfast clubs and classroom assistants has been the major issue surrounding the new Labour administration since council leader Jim Logue was re-elected with support from his party and the Conservatives.
Labour’s education convener Frank McNally said that currently one third of schools in North Lanarkshire do not operate breakfast clubs, including in areas of high deprivation and that headteachers have raised concerns that clubs often do not reach those children in the most need.
Meanwhile, the SNP Group have welcomed the decision of the council to keep breakfast clubs open but also called on the administration to make a similar decision on classroom assistants.
Councillor McKendrick confirmed he had received emails from worried parents about the potential axing of both breakfast clubs and classroom assistants.
He added: “My main point would be headteachers know their schools.
“They also know their pupils and they know who is needing help.”
Cllr Robert McKendrick