Croydon’s Labour Councillors have started the New Year by committing to a ground breaking pledge ahead of the Council elections this coming May. They have promised to provide free and healthy school meals for all the children who attend Croydon’s Primary schools.

Leader of the Opposition Labour Group, Councillor Tony Newman said:

“This is a clear and costed pledge that will benefit all children in Croydon’s Primary schools and will improve health, behaviour and educational performance.

“We will pay for the free school meals by scrapping the free newspaper the Council publishes and distributes (£80,000), disbanding the Council’s private police force, the Neighbourhood Enforcement Officers (£800,000) and shut down the Council’s failed economic development company, saving a minimum of £1,500,000, and of course we will also use some of the money saved from scrapping the Tories planned new Council Headquarters.”

Labour’s spokesperson for Schools, Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed said:

“As the mother of two young children myself, I can really appreciate the difference this could make both to the health of some of Croydon’s children and the hard pressed finances of their parents. The people of Croydon now have a clear choice. They can either see their taxes fund a new Council headquarters or they can back our plan for free school meals.”

Labour is committed to providing practical measures that will enable our primary school children to have a healthy lunchtime meal without their parents having to make choices based on their budget.

Read the press Coverage in the Croydon Advertiser

15 December 2010 print edition