Archived decisions

SCHOOL MEALS PRICES FROM APRIL, 2007

1. This is the second year of implementation of the School Meals Strategy 2005-2008. It has been developed in response to the introduction by the Government of the Targeted School Meals Grant. The Strategy sets out how this grant will be used to support the introduction of higher nutritional standards in school meals, additional staff training and some limited additional expenditure on school kitchens.

2. In line with the above, the Executive Member for Education has approved that the price of school meals be increased from the existing £1.70 per meal to £1.80 per meal from April, 2007. Of this 5.9% increase in the cost of school meals, 3.5% is needed to cover the required higher nutritional standards and food content and the remaining 2.4% to meet other cost increases. In the past, school meal price increases have impacted on the County Council's budget by increasing the cost of providing free school meals. However, with the separation of Schools and Local Authority Budgets, this increase now falls entirely within the scope of the Dedicated Schools Grant provided by Central Government.

3. This decision and the continuing implementation of the Schools Meals Strategy will result in a further improvement in the nutritional content of school meals. This supports the Council's Corporate Priorities.