SCHOOLS are being advised to put up the price of lunchtime meals by 5p from the start of the new term in September.
Derbyshire County Council cabinet is expected to approve the increase at a meeting on Tuesday, although the final price charged lies with primary and secondary schools themselves following the delegation of catering budgets to head teachers in April.
Currently, meals in primaries cost £1.90 a day and in secondary schools £2. There has been a gradual increase in pupils taking them, up 0.8% in 2012-2013 to 49.7% in primaries.
In secondary schools, the increase in the same period has been 2.3% up to 45.8%.
The increases have led to a surplus of £518,000 but, without a price increase in September, this would lead to a loss of £271,000 by 2014-2015.
Ian Thomas, county council strategic director, said: "We will continue to recommend a selling price to provide consistency. The last time school meal prices were increased was in 2010, when they went up 5p and 10p respectively in primary and secondary schools."
