South Tyneside Green Party leader urges council to reconsider school meal price increase proposals
The leader of the South Tyneside Green Party is urging the local authority to reconsider proposals to raise school meal prices.
South Tyneside’s leading Green Party councillor is calling on the borough’s Cabinet to reconsider increasing school meal prices for the third year running.
Cllr Rachael Taylor, Leader of the South Tyneside Green Party, has warned that “every pound matters” for many families as the local authority proposes raising the cost of school meals from £3 to £3.50 per day.
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.
‘For many families, every pound matters’
Cllr Taylor has acknowledged the financial pressures facing South Tyneside Council but urged the local authority to also consider the pressures facing residents across the borough.
She said: “Families are already struggling with the cost of living and I think we need to be really mindful of that before putting up the cost of school meals again.
“For many families, every pound matters.
“An increase to £3.50 a day might not sound like much to some people but over a school week and for families with more than one child it soon adds up.
“We cannot ignore the reality that many working families are struggling to make ends meet just as those on low incomes are.
“Every child deserves access to a healthy and nutritious meal at school, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
“We should be doing everything we can to make sure children aren't going hungry or missing out because their parents simply cannot afford it.
“I understand the financial pressures councils are facing, but we also need to remember the financial pressures residents are facing as well.
“Tackling poverty and protecting our most vulnerable residents, particularly children, has to be a priority.”
Striking a ‘fair balance’
Councillor Susan Sybenga, Lead Member for Finance and Resources, has previously stated that the Council is trying to strike a “fair balance” between ensuring services are “affordable and accessible” while making sure the local authority can continue to provide them.
She commented: “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.”
South Tyneside Council’s Cabinet is set to consider the proposals on Wednesday, November 4.