Southwark secondary school pupils will not all get free schools meals after the local Labour Party voted against extending the scheme beyond primary school.
At Council Assembly on Wednesday, November 23, Southwark Labour said the Liberal Democrat proposal “failed to recognise” the “very serious” financial challenges the borough is facing.
The vote also means the meals-on-wheels service for vulnerable residents will not be reinstated and energy-saving slow cookers won’t be distributed to vulnerable residents.
Speaking against the motion, Champion Hill councillor Sarah King said: “It fails to recognise the very serious challenges facing us as a council and local government more generally…
“In a world where the council had the resources to actually meet the need of our communities… there would be very little to argue about here. But once again the Lib Dems want to make a significant commitment with no care about what service they’re cutting to fund it,” she said.
Last month, Cllr Stephanie Cryan, said the council was considering the possibility of extending free school meals to secondary schools.
But she also noted the policy’s “massive financial cost” and Wednesday’s vote makes it highly unlikely the policy will be adopted in the foreseeable future.
Instead, Southwark Labour has pledged to extend free primary school meals until Easter 2023. It will also write to schools asking them whether unspent meal credit can be used on subsequent days.
Leader of the Southwark Lib Dems Cllr Victor Chamberlain said: “In this vote, Southwark Labour had a chance to support the kind of radical policies we need to help our residents through the current crises. Instead, they have opted for their trademark lack of ambition.
“Our residents do not stop being hungry at the age of 11. The council must step in to help every household have access to a hot meal this winter.”
More than 1,600 Southwark kids not taking up free school meals offer
The vote also means slow cookers will not be distributed to the most vulnerable. Instead, Southwark said it will ensure housing staff and landlords help people access affordable cooking appliances.
The policy was considered by many to be ambitious, especially after a bruising Autumn budget that worsened local authorities’ fears of looming financial disaster.