P-05-822 Ban plastic straws (when drinking milk) in our schools – Welsh Local Government Association to the Chair, 27.07.18

Dear Mr Rowlands

Thank you for your letter dated 27th July detailing Petition P-05-822 which seeks to ban plastic straws (when drinking milk) in our schools. You ask for our views on the petition and what lead the Association has taken in working with local authorities and schools to help or eliminate the use of plastic straws.

The honest answer to your letter is that this is ultimately a matter for individual LEAs to determine in consultation with their schools. We are aware for example that in Scotland, Glasgow City Council stopped the use of plastic straws from the end of February 2018. This decision arose from a petition which came from schoolchildren, similar to the admirable proposal received from Ysgol y Wern County Primary School.

In Wales, Monmouthshire county council voted unanimously in June 2018 to work towards becoming a plastic-free county. Other authorities across Wales are looking at this in terms of cost and logistics.

The best way forward on this matter is for WLGA to raise this with the 22 education Cabinet members. In terms of timing, they actually came together last week but they will meet up again within WLGA in the early autumn where we will place this on the agenda. We will then report back the outcome of this discussion.

I trust this assists in your deliberations.

Yours sincerely

Steve Thomas