Councillors at Nottinghamshire County Council insisted that children will go hungry as a result of a price hike in school meals.

Opposition councillors at Nottinghamshire County Council insisted that children will go hungry as a result of a price hike in school meals.

The daily price Nottinghamshire County Council charges schools for school meals is set to increase by 40p from £2.55 to £2.95 each.

The Conservative-run council said it was forced to make the increase due to rising costs of food, energy and staffing. It says it will be up to individual schools to decide whether they pass the rise on to families.

Both opposition parties, Labour and the Independent Alliance, attempted to stop changes to the price of school meals by calling in the decision – which can be done in circumstances when councillors are severely concerned about the ruling cabinet’s actions. Both challenges failed.

At the council’s Overview Committee on November 23, one Labour councillor said the decision could impact an awful lot of children.

Councillor Kate Foale said: “The threshold for free school meals is going up, this could significantly impact an awful lot of children.

“We are very concerned about that. Children will go hungry.”

Marjorie Toward, monitoring officer for the council, said: “There was no requirement for consultation because it was a price increase on a traded service.

“This generally happens annually. The decision was made there was no need for consultation but it was discussed at some length with schools.

“I think that’s really transparent.”

Purdue Horan said: “This whole debacle has not shown Nottinghamshire County Council in the best light.

“I have not met one member in opposition groups who have supported the decision.

“I’ve spoken to former Conservative colleagues and one of them said ‘they’ve made a right dog’s dinner of this’.”

During Thursday’s meeting opposition councillors were told by committee chairman Boyd Elliott they could not debate the decision, only ask questions about the technical reasons the call-in was refused.

Steve Carr said: “I have sat here amazed that in a scrutiny meeting, a chair is preventing people from asking bonafide questions.

“The call-in process needs urgent review. My email box is full of people saying this is a terrible decision.”

Jonathan Wheeler said: “If the call-in process is used for political purposes, this is where it falls down.”

Schools will decide whether to pass the costs to families – and children who qualify for free school meals will not be affected.

The price hike had originally been scheduled to come into force in October, but was put on hold due to the challenge.

Nottinghamshire County Council has not yet confirmed a new date for the rise.