School dinner prices are set to increase
Thousands of families will pay more for school meals under price increases announced today.
Council chiefs in Dudley and Walsall have both announced they will be increasing the cost of primary school dinners by five pence a day.
Costs will go up from £1.80 to £1.85 a day in Dudley and £1.85 to £1.90 in Walsall. In Staffordshire the cost of secondary dinners is £2.20 and primaries £2.10. Prices were frozen last year but are to be reviewed in April. Bosses in Wolverhampton and Sandwell said today they were still reviewing meal costs.
Dudley Council said its new meal prices are being introduced to cover the rising cost of food and fuel bills.
The authority said it has seen a rise in the number of students having school meals.
The cost of food at secondary schools in the borough is also set to rise by three per cent. And the price of an adult meal for staff at primary schools will go up by 5p from £2.85 to £2.90 when the increases are introduced on April 16.
Cabinet member for children's services, Councillor Liz Walker, said in a report: "Meal uptake in 2010/11 saw a 1.4 per cent increase, and year to date these numbers have been maintained numbers, despite the current climate."
In Walsall the 5p increase will be introduced from April 1 for primary schools.
Across the border in Sandwell, meals cost £1.90 at primary schools and £1.95 at secondary schools. An adult meal costs £2.34.
Sandwell Council spokesman Darren Beck said: " A report will go to cabinet in June. Any changes would come into effect in August."
Wolverhampton City Council is reviewing its charges. The city's Primary Care Trust has agreed to fund free meals for more than 4,000 youngsters on top of the 8,000 who were eligible before. The cost of primary school dinners in Staffordshire has been frozen. It costs £2.10 a meal.
