Parents who received free meals during school holidays said they are dismayed with a final one-off grant this summer.
The £95 per child grant aims to cover until September, but will be left to the responsibility of parents to decide when it’s spent.
It is funded by the government’s Household Support Fund, which was launched in September last year and initially covered from October 6 to March 31.
Lincolnshire County Council received £5.5 million of the £500 million pot, distributing around half to schools to provide food/vouchers to eligible families during the school holidays and half to district councils to distribute based on community needs.
John O’Connor, head of education support, said: “Again, just over half of this funding is being provided to schools and early years providers to support eligible pupils.
“This time, these families will be provided with a one-off grant that they can use to help with food bills as and when needed.”
“The government has not yet announced whether the HSF will continue beyond September 30 or not.
“However, eligible children will continue to receive free school meals during term time as normal.”
Parents are disappointed that the scheme will be coming to an end, particularly as families, like many, face increases in the cost of living.
One parent told Local Democracy Reporters: “At this point in time there are a lot of people very upset and worried about this.”
Families who signed up to Free School Meals, prior to May 10, will receive £95 per eligible child – however it will be up to each school to decide how to provide the support.
A spokesman for LCC said the authority expected the majority of schools to pass on vouchers.
North Kesteven Academy, for instance, will issue Wonde vouchers to parents with e-codes dropping into email addresses by Monday, May 30.
Some secondary schools, using electronic payment systems, may also credit families direct to their bank account.
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A 41-year-old man has been charged with robbery after an incident at a shop in Lincoln.
Dominic Norris, of no fixed address, was arrested in connection with the crime after police were called to Oasis Newsagents on Ripon Street at around 12.20pm on Tuesday, 5 July.
The arrest came after officers were quickly deployed to the area and took swift action to investigate.
He appeared Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and was remanded to Lincoln Crown Court, with no fixed date for his next appearance.
Conservative Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has broken his silence on the issue of his embattled party leader, thanking the Prime Minister upon his resignation announcement.
As reported, PM Boris Johnson is expected to admit defeat in a national statement later, agreeing to step down as Tory leader following more than 50 ministerial resignations.
He will, however, remain as Prime Minister until the results of a leadership contest in the autumn.
Three Lincolnshire MPs joined those resigning from ministerial positions in protest to Johnson’s actions and judgement on a number of issues – culminating in his handling of sexual assault allegations against former Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher.
Karl McCartney, who also sits on the government’s 1922 Committee, had so far refused to comment on the events in his party this week.
Upon the news of the PM’s white flag this morning, McCartney issued a statement.
While he did not join some of his colleagues’ condemnations of the PM’s judgement or errors, he said the loss of confidence from the majority of MPs meant it was time to resign. He continued by praising Johnson for his work on Brexit and the pandemic:
“It has become clear to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson MP, that he no longer has the confidence of a growing number of his colleagues in the Conservative Parliamentary Party. Therefore, the time has come for the Prime Minister to take the decision to resign and allow the Conservative Party the opportunity to select and elect a new leader.
“I, and many of my constituents, and Parliamentary colleagues, have a lot to be grateful for that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has achieved and undertaken as the Leader of our Country. His unique brand will be missed by those of us who admired his willingness to deliver Brexit and the way he tackled the pandemic and the war in Eastern Europe.”
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