Hull free meals

Hull free meals to go

11th May 2007, 3:40pm

After strengthening their position on Hull Council in the recent local elections, the Liberal Democrats are to finally scrap the city's free school meals scheme.

For more than a year the Lib Dems, the largest party on the council, have been trying to scrap the free service for all primary school children, arguing that those who can afford to pay should do so and the £4m-a-year cost of the scheme could be better spent elsewhere.

Labour, which introduced the free meals pilot in 2004, says the decision will hit the poorest families hardest and that research had shown free meals in the city had attracted a high uptake and led to improved behaviour and academic performance.

The future of the scheme was in the balance until the May 3 elections. Parents will be asked to pay £1.10 for a primary school meal from September.

Related Articles:

• 11 May 2011 - Thousands of children to benefit from free school meals
• 23 Oct 2009 - Former Olympic athlete takes part in free school dinner scheme

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