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Kirklees Council keeps school meals prices on hold

28th July 2009, 11:22am

Kirklees Council has this year decided to forego the usual 10p increase in the cost of school meals.

They will remain at £1.75 for a child attending a primary, middle or special school and £1.90 for a high school student.

Cllr John Smithson, cabinet member for children and families, said: "In these times of recession it is important that the council does all it can to ease the situation for as many people as possible.

"School dinners are already excellent value for money and this price freeze confirms that position. We now hope that many more children will have the benefit of an excellent school dinner at a very reasonable price."

The service is also bringing in more innovative menus and systems to encourage youngsters to eat meals at school. Menus are matched to each individual school so they reflect the preferences of the children who attend.

More high schools are now introducing the biometric cashless system to help reduce queuing - 13,695 students in 14 high schools are already registered.

Primary schools are getting pasta and jacket potato bars to help promote healthy food choices and the Kirklees NHS is providing some financial support to roll these out in the Dewsbury and Batley areas.

Carolyn Booth, head teacher at South Crosland Junior School, said: "Children have a wide selection of food each day at our school, including locally-sourced fruit and vegetables. The price freeze on the school meal will certainly benefit parents at South Crosland. With the choice the children have it is really good value for money."

Related Articles:

• 27 Jul 2009 - Parents put school meals to the test
• 24 Jul 2009 - Getting good food out to all the kids
• 23 Jul 2009 - Eden Foodservice achieves food for life catering mark
• 22 Jul 2009 - School lunch 'fresh better than frozen' claim misconceived
• 22 Jul 2009 - Lancashire school caterers win sustainable procurement award
• 21 Jul 2009 - Hertfordshire children have an appetite for school meals
• 16 Jul 2009 - Pupil creates new poster to boost school meal uptake
• 15 Jul 2009 - Free school meals requests are increasing
• 15 Jul 2009 - North Yorkshire freezes school meal prices

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