Parent Debt Management Policy

Mellors Catering Services.
October 2024

The objective of this policy is to establish a standard of quality for the management and communication of parent debt and the provision of pupil meals, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of best practices among all relevant stakeholders.

The concerned parties encompass school clients, school administration personnel, Mellors catering managers and staff, Mellors operations team, as well as parents and guardians.

According to the policy, Mellors is obligated to provide a meal to a pupil with zero credit on the cashless/parent pay system or any other credit system upon the pupil’s request. The school holds the authority to request that meals not be provided to pupils lacking the necessary credit. Alternatively, the school may require that no food be dispensed without the school’s authorisation, a procedure that may present challenges during lunch service unless a school representative is present at the time of the pupil’s request.

The school may already have an established process, such as issuing slips to pupils entitling them to a meal on days when they lack sufficient credit, along with an agreed-upon recharge process.

At the conclusion of each day’s service, any debt stemming from providing a meal to pupils with no credit shall be relayed to the school office by the catering manager. The school is responsible for remitting payment to Mellors for all such claims at the close of each week, as well as on the final day of each term/half term. Subsequently, the school assumes responsibility for pursuing the debt from the parent(s) in accordance with their own policy.

The school is empowered to instruct Mellors to discontinue the provision of meals to a pupil at any point in conformity with the school’s debt management policy and procedures.

For additional details pertaining to this policy, please direct enquiries to Mellors Head Office at 01695 737 280.