Nottinghamshire County Council's Conservative leader says most people "don't expect the state to feed their children" as he rejected the idea of all primary school pupils getting free school meals. Calls had been made for the scheme to be considered in Nottinghamshire after figures showed that thousands of schoolchildren in the county are living in poverty but not getting free school meals.
But Councillor Ben Bradley, the council's Conservative leader, said during a debate on Thursday : "The vast majority of the public don't expect the state to feed their children, don't need the state to feed their children and actually don't want the state to take their money from them and decide what food their kids are allowed to eat at school...
The leader also claimed that London's free school meals programme was funded by the controversial ULEZ scheme, which sees drivers of vehicles not meeting certain emissions standards paying a £12.50 daily charge. Mayor Khan has never mentioned ULEZ specifically in terms of how London's £130 million free school meals programme is funded, instead broadly referring to better-than-expected business rates and council tax income.
Despite concerns, the Conservative Party's candidate for London Mayor next year has said she would continue the free school meals programme for as long as the cost of living situation requires it. Households in England receiving Universal Credit currently must earn below £7,400 a year before benefits and after tax to qualify for free school meals.