A SCHOOL meals price hike of more than ten per cent for Selby and other North Yorkshire schools will be re-examined.

Labour councillors at North Yorkshire County Council have called in a decision by the ruling Conservative group to increase the price of school meals across the county by more than four times the rate of inflation.

The Press reported on Monday that meals in the county are set to rocket from £1.62 to £1.80 - an 11 per cent hike.

The rise will hit school children in Ryedale, Hambleton, Selby and elsewhere in North Yorkshire.

This is on top of a 5.2 per cent price increase last year.

Last week, The Press also reported how school meals in the City of York Council area could rise to £2.10.

As a result of the call in, the decision is due to be re-examined on July 25 when Labour councillors will be pressing for answers to a number of questions.

Labour spokewoman for young people, Coun Michelle Andrew, said: "We have been told that this rise is due, in part, to increased costs arising from job evaluation, yet we have also been given information suggesting that sufficient monies have already been set aside by the council to cover those costs.

"It seems unfair therefore that parents should have to pay more as a result."

Coun Steve Shaw-Wright, who represents Barlby on the county council and Selby North ward on the district council, said the North Yorkshire-wide proposal was "ridiculous" and called for a review.

He said: "At a time when we're supposed to be increasing healthy eating, which the council is doing, to increase the prices by 11 per cent, on top of a 5.2 per cent increase last year, is crazy."

The Labour Group is particularly concerned about children who do not receive free school meals because their parents' income is just above the qualifying level.

Coun Andrew said: "We are reaching a point where these families will struggle to afford the higher prices, especially if they have more than one child at school.

"As a group we would welcome a look at all of the possible options for providing healthy and affordable lunchtime meals for our children."

Coun Shaw-Wright said: "We feel the rise is not warranted. The county council knew this pay rise was coming and to try and blame it on outside forces is ridiculous.

"We have three, four and five year financial planning and they were well aware of this coming.

"There should be enough money within the overall budget to cover the costs and not leave it to parents to foot the bill."