Explanatory note

This Order imposes duties with respect to the provision of free school meals and paid school meals as described in article 2 on the governing bodies of schools maintained by local education authorities in Wales. Those duties are imposed on the governing bodies of former grant-maintained schools whose delegated budgets include an amount in respect of meals and other refreshment with effect from 1st September 1999, and on the governing bodies of all secondary schools (on which those duties have not already been imposed) on 1st April 2000 (article 3). The effect of section 512A(4) of the Education Act 1996 is that where such duties are imposed on the governing body of a maintained school the local education authority is not subject to the corresponding duty in relation to the school. This Order also modifies section 512(2)(b) of the Education Act 1996 in certain circumstances where a school’s delegated budget has been suspended (article 4).