THE cost of primary school meals in York could go up by 25 per cent.

York councillors are being asked to look at four options including a possible 25 per cent rise in the price of school meals to £2.20 by September 2009.

Currently, North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) supplies school meals to 49 York schools with 2,824 meals a day eaten by youngsters in city primary schools and 1,344 in secondary schools. The last price hike was in September last year when meals went up by ten per cent to the current rate of £1.75.

The increases have been blamed partly on the "Jamie Oliver effect" and partly on an increase in staff wages.

Caterers fear they may be left having to provide more nutritious foods but a special Government grant to help meet the costs may not be renewed.

At secondary school level NYCC increased prices by ten per cent in April for four York schools with whom they have individual agreements and it is likely that a similar increase will be needed for the five remaining secondary schools.

The four options being put to councillors for primary schools are:

Option 1: To increase the price of primary school meals to £2.10 in October 2007 - a 20 per cent rise

Option 2: To increase the price to £1.95 in October 2007. This option assumes a further 20p increase to £2.15 in September 2008, followed by a 5p increase to £2.20 in September 2009 - a 25 per cent hike

Option 3: To increase the price to £1.90 in October 2007. As for option 2, but providing more subsidy to allow for a selling price of £1.90 or an 8.5 per cent increase in 2007, rising to £2.05 in September 2008 and £2.20 in September 2009

Option 4: To increase selling price to £2 in October 2007. This is a hybrid of options 1 and 2 and assumes a selling price of £2 or a 14 per cent increase in 2007, rising to £2.15 in September 2008 and £2.20 in September 2009.

The council's executive member for Children's Services, Carol Runciman, said: "I hope that parents will see that this is still good value for money - to get a two-course meal consisting of nutritious locally sourced food for about £2 is a good price.

"It is important that children are well fed during the course of the school day."

But Nick Seaton, chairman of the York-based parent group, the Campaign for Real Education, said parents pay enough already.

He said: "This will hit the families most who can least afford it and that's very unhelpful.

"School meals have traditionally been fairly reasonably priced but at £2 or more per day they are going to be a huge burden for those on low incomes."

At schools in North Yorkshire the cost of primary school meals is £1.62 and East Yorkshire the costs is £1.65.

In a report to go before councillors next week, the council's contracts manager Barbara Kistasamy said: "In order to give sufficient notice to parents, it has been assumed that any increase in price will be with effect from October 29, 2007, following the half-term break."

NYCC has reported that York's school meals contract operated at a loss of £90,000 in 2006/07. These losses are attributed to the fact that the average take up of school meals in York remains low.

Despite the efforts of the catering service and staff in many schools, the take-up rate of hot meals in primary schools in York varies from 16 per cent to 61 per cent with an average of around 33 per cent. This compares with reported figures of about 44 per cent in North Yorkshire County Council schools. The impact of changes to staffing terms and conditions will increase costs of the York contract by an estimated £169,000 per annum.

A meeting of the Executive Members and Children's Services Advisory Panel will meet in the Guildhall next Thursday to discuss the school dinner options.


Free meals

PUPILS on free school meals will not be affected by the changes.

Families who qualify for certain state benefits do not have to pay for meals at their children's school.

Parents who receive either Income Support or Income-based Job Seekers Allowance whose children attend full time education at a non-private school qualify.

Parents are also eligible if they get Child Tax Credit, but not a Working Tax Credit, and their Inland Revenue assessed income is below £14,155.

The grant can be provided for children from the age of five including children attending a sixth form attached to a school.