Councillor challenges free school meal move

Colin Inglis, the former Labour leader of Hull Council, will ask councillors to back his call for a referendum at a meeting on Thursday.

Hull Council became the first in the country to serve free lunches for primary schoolchildren six years ago under the then Labour administration.

Research showed children were doing better in class and eating a higher quality of food at home as a consequence.

Liberal Democrat councillors abolished the scheme, saying it was unaffordable and introduced charges.

Councillor Inglis says if proportional representation had been used at the recent local elections the current Lib Dem administration would not have an overall majority.

He argues that a "broken political system" can't resolve the issue and the local electorate should be able to decide at a referendum held to co-incide with next year's council elections.

Labour group leader Coun Steve Brady said other organisations like the NHS could help with funding, adding: "Colin is a great believer in free school meals and we will wait and see what this debate brings out."

Given the extent of public spending cuts, the reversal seems unlikely.

Last week, Bradford Council announced that free school meals for each primary school pupil in the district, costing 8.34m, would end, despite a year-long pilot being helped by grant from the Department for Children Schools and Families.

The Duchess of York, who filmed a TV documentary, shown two years ago, on the city's Preston Road estate about her attempts to help a family slim, is amongst fans of free school meals.