School meal prices could rise for the third year running under new South Tyneside Council proposals
School meal prices could rise again as South Tyneside Council undertakes its annual review of fees and charges.
New proposals from South Tyneside Council could see the daily cost of school meals rise for the third year running.
It comes as part of the local authority’s annual review of fees and charges as it looks to meet rising service costs while keeping services accessible and affordable.
The proposals could see changes to the cost of school meals, school milk, parking arrangements, garden waste collections, and more, which contribute around £34million towards the cost of Council services each year.
South Tyneside Council’s Cabinet set to consider the proposals on Wednesday, November 4.
School meals and milk
South Tyneside Council states a review of school meals and milk has revealed the service currently costs around £400,000 a year more to operate than the income it generates.
The Council is proposing a price increase from £3 to £3.50 per day from April 2027 - with the local authority continuing to subsidise the cost of each paid-for school meal by 80p per meal.
If approved, it will be the third year running the cost of paid-for school meals has increased in South Tyneside.
Between 2018 and April 2025, paid-for school meals cost £2.20 per day as the Council froze the price due to the cost-of-living crisis.
The price rose to £2.50 in April 2025, £2.90 in April 2026 before a further 10p increase this year.
South Tyneside Council states that more than 46% of pupils currently receive free school meals so will not be affected by the increase.
School milk could also increase from £14 to £16 per term from April 2027 but this remains below the £20 currently charged by national provider, CoolMilk.
Parking arrangements
Changes are also proposed to parking arrangements across South Tyneside from April 2027.
The first hour will remain free in South Shields town centre, while Jarrow and Hebburn town centres will be subject to the first two hours parking is free before a tariff applies.
Changes are also being proposed to resident and visitor parking permits from April 2027.
Leisure
The price of leisure memberships are set to remain unchanged as part of the proposals due to increases last year but most individual and sessional leisure charges could increase.
Waste services
The annual garden waste charge is proposed to increase from £45 to £47 for 15 collections in 2027.
Bulky waste collections could also increase from £30 to £33 for up to 10 items.
Bereavement costs
A review of bereavement charges against the cost of providing services and prices elsewhere in the North East has been carried out.
While most cremation and burial charges could increase, the cost of an early morning cremation would reduce to provide a lower-cost option.
‘Demand and costs continue to rise’
Around 80% of South Tyneside Council’s budget is spent on services it must provide by law, with the local authority looking to keep paid-for services affordable while recovering as much of the cost as possible.
Councillor Susan Sybenga, Lead Member for Finance and Resources, said: “We know household budgets remain under pressure, so this review isn't simply about applying the same increase to every charge.
“We've looked at what individual services cost to provide, what other providers charge and the impact on residents.
“We also need to be realistic about the financial position facing the Council.
“Demand and costs continue to rise, particularly in services we must provide by law such as adult and children's social care.
“Where the cost of providing a paid-for service is significantly more than the income it generates, that gap must be met from the wider Council budget.
"We want to strike a fair balance between keeping services affordable and accessible and making sure the Council can continue to provide them on a sustainable footing.”
Most changes are set to take effect from December 1, with later implementation dates for school meals and milk, trade waste, court fees and parking.