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Amanda Reese: ‘in principle it’s very good’ |
Primary schools lap up free meals
Shock budget welcomed by teachers, but elderly blow hot and cold on £100 tax rebate
HEADTEACHERS have given a cautious welcome to news that every primary pupil in Islington is to get a free school meal.
But the £100 tax rebate for pensioners, agreed last week when Labour pushed through a shock Town Hall budget, has met with a mixed reaction.
The “progressive budget” – as Labour and rebel Lib Dem councillor Andrew Cornwell are calling the financial package – was a surprise triumph for opposition councillors, who found themselves in the majority when the Lib Dems’ Donna Boffa was admitted to hospital.
School staff who spoke to the Tribune this week were thrilled with the free meals plan. Most headteachers welcomed the initiative but had some concerns about how vital school funding information – linked to the number of families who qualify for free meals – will now be calculated.
Nitsa Sergides, headteacher of Grafton Primary School, in Holloway, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic that all children will have the same opportunity to have the same meals, regardless of affordability. For families on pretty low incomes who do not qualify for a free school meal because they are just over the threshold, this will be absolutely fantastic. It will also take away discrimination.”
She added: “This is just at the right time, with all the financial difficulty out there and the credit crunch. At least we can be sure our little ones get one warm meal a day.”
Pana McGee, headteacher of Ashmount Primary School, in Archway, said: “I’m sure everybody’s initial reaction is that this is a good thing because you’re promoting healthy kids. Apart from access and cost, it’s about getting kids fitter. We’ve got a healthy meals accreditation so the meals will be balanced.”
She added: “Now, people being encouraged to go out and work won’t miss out on free school meals because they are in employment.”
Amanda Reese, headteacher of Hanover Primary, in Islington, said: “In principle it’s a very good idea but from a school’s point of view it will be more difficult to gather evidence about those children who would have been entitled to a free school meal.” The number of free meals influences the level of funding a school receives.
And headteacher Penny Spencer at Winton Primary School, in King’s Cross, said: “I am very pleased the council has decided to make school meals free to all children in Islington schools. It will support many of our families and will I’m sure help promote healthy eating among our children.”
Pensioners and groups supporting the elderly welcomed the £100 windfall, but feared services might suffer cuts to pay for the rebate.
Age Concern Islington chief executive Deborah Fowler said: “The tax rebate will be welcome to the many pensioners living on low incomes in Islington but it’s important that services for older people are not cut while finding the savings to fund this rebate.”
George Durack, chairman of Islington Pensioners Forum, said: “I was delighted that the pensioners are going to get some money and the children are going to get their dinners. It’s marvellous.
“The Lib Dems don’t deserve to keep running the council. To pensioners in the bottom 10 per cent, £100 is a rare fortune. They can feed themselves for almost three weeks. Pensioners have been left out too many times by politicians.”
But newspaper columnist Doris Daly, who works with elderly people, said: “I’ve lived here since 1950 and I’ve never seen such a lunatic idea in all my life in Islington.
“I’m not against children but there are so many rich people in Islington who could buy the schools. As for the £100, the majority of pensioners are on such low incomes they don’t pay council tax. Will they get the £100?
“It was a wedge in the door to get at the Lib Dems. It had nothing to do with our welfare. I wanted them to freeze the council tax. Are we going to get the loony left back?
Former Islington mayor Joe Trotter asked: “How long is £100 going to last? My rent’s just gone up £28 a month. I’d sooner they had frozen the council tax. As for giving free school meals to Boris Johnson and all those nice people in Barnsbury, it’s ridiculous.” |
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