£1.2M goes to waste as Conservatives slash free school meals

Tim Farron has slammed the government's wasteful plan to slash free school meals, which will mean that £1.2million invested in kitchens and dining facilities at schools across Cumbria will go to waste.

Currently 12,779 pupils at schools across Cumbria enjoy a free school meal each day, under a scheme introduced under the coalition government. Pupils from reception to year 2 are currently eligible for Free School Meals. Conservative plans to scrap this scheme would cost families an average extra £480 a year for every child. In 2014/15, schools across Cumbria were given £1,150,000 to upgrade kitchen and dining facilities in order to meet the additional demand.

Tim said: "Conservative plans to scrap free school meals are not only a betrayal of the next generation, they are a massive waste of money. Just a couple of years ago well over a million pounds was invested in school kitchens in Cumbria - this would be wasted under Conservative plans.

"All the evidence shows that free school meals improve pupil attention, boost attainment and help to give every child a fair chance in life. While Conservative plans to slash budgets will mean 746 teachers cut from Cumbria's schools, I will continue to fight for investment in education."