South Ayrshire Council has unanimously backed plans to provide up to £40,000 from reserves to keep two school breakfast clubs operating while the Scottish Government prepares to roll out universal provision. Both clubs at Ayr Grammar Primary and Struthers Primary in Troon were set to stop operating, for different reasons, a year before plans by the Scottish Government to introduce universal provision for breakfast clubs for all schools came into effect.
Cross-Party Support for the Motion
The motion, brought forward by Troon SNP councillor Craig Mackay, was approved at Thursday’s full council meeting following cross-party support. Councillor Mackay said breakfast clubs provided an important service by ensuring children had access to a meal before the school day and helping working parents with childcare.
He told councillors: “The children of South Ayrshire are our future and deserve the extra support proposed in this motion to allow these two breakfast clubs to continue operating this year.” He said the Scottish Government was expected to introduce universal breakfast club provision as early as August 2027 and argued it would be “a backwards move” for the existing clubs to close only to be reinstated a year later.
Different Circumstances at the Two Schools
The Ayr Grammar Primary breakfast club has been operating using time-limited funding from the Scottish Government’s Bright Start programme, while Struthers Primary’s club is currently run by a commercial operator. Councillor Mackay said he hoped Struthers Primary could move to a directly operated model, although he acknowledged this might not be ready for the start of the new school term in August.
Seconding the motion, Councillor George Weir highlighted the importance of children receiving breakfast before lessons begin. He recalled his wife, a former South Ayrshire primary teacher, telling him that before breakfast clubs were introduced many teachers kept biscuits in classroom drawers for pupils who arrived at school without having eaten.
Educational and Social Benefits
Independent Councillor William Grant also supported the proposal, citing studies showing improvements in educational attainment where breakfast clubs were available. Council Leader Brian Connolly welcomed the motion and said a paper on the Scottish Government’s breakfast club programme was due to be considered by COSLA leaders, which he hoped would help secure future funding.
Council officers said the £40,000 represented an indicative maximum cost of around £20,000 for each school and that the full amount might not be required if Scottish Government funding became available. Head of Education Scott Mulholland told members the two schools faced different circumstances, with one affected by the end of grant funding and the other by the withdrawal of a commercial provider.
No Other Clubs at Risk
He said no other breakfast clubs in South Ayrshire were currently expected to close. Education officials said they were already working with other local authorities and the Scottish Government on preparations for universal breakfast club provision. The motion was approved without opposition.
After the meeting Cllr Mackay said: “I am delighted to have helped secure the future of the breakfast clubs at Struthers and Ayr Grammar. Breakfast clubs are of huge benefit in ensuring breakfast is available to those who need it, in a safe social environment that sets them up for the day. Evidence shows a significant attainment boost from having a proper breakfast. Breakfast clubs also allow working parents to get away to work in the morning. The move to a directly operated and freely accessible service will at Struthers in particular offer an opportunity to significantly increase uptake and give the kids attending a better start to their day. I have spoken to the Director of Education and am meeting him in July to discuss the arrangements in more detail, and hope we can get the new operation up and running in time for the new school term.”
