School meal prices rise

Due to rises in the cost of food and of the fuel to deliver the food to schools, the cost to families will increase by 15p per meal and 2p per 1/3 milk. Primary school meals will now cost £1.80 and secondary school meals will cost £1.85. Children having meals in nursery schools will be charged £1.55. Milk will cost 14p per carton but will continue to be provided free to pupils under five years of age and to pupils eligible for free school meals. Cllr Andrew Sanger, Sheffield City Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Services & Lifelong Learning, commented on the rise: "We very much regret having to introduce this increase and we know that it will be a concern to families, but we're all being affected by increases in the costs of food and fuel so unfortunately this is necessary this year." Andrew goes on to assure the parents: "I have made sure that we continue to subsidise school meals so that the Council has absorbed as much of the increase as possible. Even having done that, though, there remains a necessary increase which we are having to pass to parents." Weblink: www.sheffield.gov.uk/schoolmeals