The Cabinet of Greenwich Council met on Wednesday 15 July 2026, agreeing to expand the school uniform grant scheme and introduce equivalent food provision for children educated otherwise than at school. The Cabinet also noted reports on Treasury Management and Capital Outturn for 2025/26, and the Council's Strategic Risk Register.

School Clothing Grants and Equivalent Food Provision for Children Educated Otherwise Than at School

The Cabinet agreed to expand the school uniform grant scheme to include Academy schools, which will increase the number of children who will qualify for help with school uniform costs. Changes were also agreed to the Pupil Benefits scheme, introducing a policy to provide equivalent food provision to free school meals for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who are receiving education otherwise than at school (EOTAS).

The expansion of the school clothing grant scheme aims to ensure it remains fit for purpose, particularly in light of the increasing number of schools converting to academies and changes to the national free school meals regime from the 2026/27 academic year. The revised scheme will now be open to children attending state schools, including academies, who are eligible for and receive targeted free school meals. The grant amounts for Reception, Year 3, Year 7, and Year 9 will remain unchanged. Modelling suggests the number of awards made under the revised scheme could approximately double.

For children receiving EOTAS, who do not attend a formal school setting, the council will now provide equivalent food provision. This is in line with non-statutory Department for Education guidance and follows feedback from residents. Eligible children will receive a cash voucher at the beginning of each half term, equivalent to the rate paid for free school meals. This provision will be funded through an underspend on the GLA Mayor's Free School Meals programme.

Treasury Management and Capital Outturn 2025/26

The Cabinet noted the Treasury Management Outturn Report for 2025/26, which detailed the council's treasury activities, including its borrowing position and investment rates. The report indicated that the council maintained an under-borrowed position throughout the year, utilising internal reserves and temporary cash resources to fund capital expenditure. The average interest rate for the debt portfolio remained low at 4.23%.

The Capital Outturn Report for 2025/26 was also noted, showing that the council made capital investments of £290 million. The majority of this expenditure, 74%, was attributed to housing-related schemes, including the construction and acquisition of new homes and investment in existing stock. Significant investments were also made in education facilities and the decarbonisation of the corporate estate. The report detailed variances against the forecast position, primarily due to the multi-year nature of capital programmes and slippage in project timelines.

Royal Borough of Greenwich Strategic Risk Register

The Cabinet noted the Council's Strategic Risk Register, which identifies key risks threatening the council's plans and strategies, along with the controls and mitigating actions in place. The register is owned by the Greenwich Management Team (GMT), with each risk assigned to a designated Director. No new or escalated risks were identified for inclusion in this reporting cycle. The Strategic Risk Register will be presented to the Audit & Risk Management Panel and Full Council for noting.