School meals: Head teacher of 2p debt threat 'thrown under bus'

A head teacher who threatened to deny meals to pupils who were 2p in debt has said the council had "thrown him under the bus".

Neil Foden, of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, in Penygroes, said the letter he sent parents was based on Gwynedd council's advice.

Parents were "fuming" after the letter, with anti-poverty campaigner Marcus Rashford also raising concerns.

Gwynedd council apologised for concern caused by the letter.

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The letter was sent out to all parents, not just those with debts, says Mr Foden

The letter, sent by Mr Foden, said all debts over £10 would be transferred to the council and parents would be invoiced by the authority.

It also said those with debts over a penny would receive a message from the school and asked to "clear debts and credit the system" by 19 November.

But the school's governors said it would review the online payment system after finding it "inefficient".

'I just passed on the message'

Speaking to BBC Wales, Mr Foden said the council's statement in response to the row had given "an impression that I had acted outside the authority's policy".

In his latest letter to parents, he said after initially agreeing the wording of a council press release, "they put all the responsibility on me" in the statement later issued.

"I have been thrown under the bus," he said.

Neil Foden has been the acting strategic head of the school since June

Mr Foden said he had "consulted the authority" about school dinner debts that had accrued since late last year.

He said he received an email from the council instructing him to tell every parent that debts over £10 would be transferred to the local authority and that the cook would not feed children unless their debt had been cleared.

"All I did was to pass on the authority's message to parents."

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'Threats risen significantly'

Mr Foden added the situation "has been very damaging to me", with him having forwarded more than 20 verbally abusive emails to the police.

"I have broad shoulders, but it gets to the point where every time the phone makes a noise or another email has arrived you think what next?," he said.

He told the BBC he would "think twice" before sending messages on behalf of others "without making it clear that I am working on their behalf".

What has the council said?

Gwynedd council said: "The welfare of children and young people is always our priority, and we will always ensure that no child across the county will face a day without lunch at school.

"This should be made clear in any letter to parents from the county's schools when discussing school dinners."

It urged anyone "experiencing difficulty" paying for school meals to get in touch.

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