Local Lib Dems are warning that thousands of children in Bath and North East Somerset could lose their right to a free school meal, due to the Government conducting a spending review.
There are fears that the free school meal scheme will be scrapped in the forthcoming Government Spending Review.
The Department for Education is reported to be at odds with the Prime Minister on whether the scheme should continue.
Universal free school meals offer every infant child a healthy meal at lunchtime, which saves families more than £400 per child per year. The scheme was a flagship Liberal Democrat policy in government.
Evidence shows where children have been given a free school dinner, their results improved compared to youngsters who didn’t get one.
These academic improvements were most marked among children from the poorest backgrounds.
There are currently 5519 children who receive free school meals in Bath and North East Somerset, who would lose them if the Conservatives follow through with plans reported in the media recently.
Councillor Lisa Brett (Walcot), the B&NES Liberal Democrats spokesperson for Children and Young People and Chair of the Council’s watchdog panel on Children and Young People, said: “If this goes ahead, the Tories will show they are willing to take an axe to the education budget at the expense of children’s learning.
“By scrapping this policy they would take food off the plates of thousands children across Bath and North East Somerset who now benefit from a free healthy meal at lunchtime.
“The Liberal Democrats fought tooth and nail to get this through in Coalition because we want every child to have the best possible start in life and be able to concentrate in class, and all the evidence shows that a healthy meal helps with that.
“Instead of further investing in our children, the Tories are turning up at the school gate and stealing their lunch money.”
