Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about how a school provides free school meals. We have no power to do so.

The complaint

1. Mrs X says School Y is not providing her child with free school meals.

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The Ombudsman’s role and power

2. We cannot investigate most complaints about what happens in schools. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5, paragraph 5(2), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mrs X.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mrs X says her child attends School Y and has added needs. She says Y is entitled to free school meals but School Y is not providing meals that Y can eat.
6. We have no power to investigate how a school provides free school meals or how a Council replies to a complaint about this.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because we cannot investigate how schools provide free school meals.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman