Fears that Gwynedd children could lose out on free school milk after Brexit need to be addressed urgently, a county councillor has warned.

Under the free school milk scheme four and five-year-olds are given a carton of milk each day.

County councils are given European funded Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) money to pay for the scheme. Figures published on the UK Department of Agriculture website show that in 2017 this amounted to £91,169.47 paid out to Welsh councils.

Flintshire got £26,303.62 to pay for free school milk during this period, followed by £18,620.50 for Conwy, £15,516.02 for Gwynedd, £12,185.48 for Denbighshire, £10,146.26 for Anglesey and £8,397.58 for Wrexham.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are committed to continuing to provide milk to school pupils after Brexit.”

When asked, by the Local Democracy Service, how it would be paid for after Brexit the Welsh Government referred back to UK Government commitments to fund CAP in the UK up until the end of the next parliament which is expected to be 2022.

NFU Cymru Milk Board chairman Gareth Richards said: “Milk is an important part of a balanced diet for all ages, but especially for the healthy development of bones in younger years.

“A 200ml glass of milk contains the recommended daily allowance of calcium, B vitamins, protein and iron."

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