A COUNCILLOR has reassured 'horrified' parents that no child will go hungry after a school in Widnes threatened to withhold school meals if kids don’t pay their dinner money on time.

The statement came after All Saints Upton C.E Primary School issued a letter that said parents would no longer be able to “owe” dinner money,  and that children with overdue payments would not be entitled to have a school meal.

The letter, which circulated on social media, raised concerns among parents that their children would go hungry if they couldn’t afford to pay their dinner money on time.

Paula Priestly said on Facebook: “Think it’s important to remember that the parents who haven’t paid for these meals are struggling working parents probably on low incomes (and) there’s generally a good reason that a parent wouldn’t send lunch money in, not just because they choose not to pay.

“And even if they have chose to not send it in that is a matter to be discussed with the parent rather than embarrassing a child by not giving them a meal in front of their friends and leaving them to go hungry.”

Debbie Putterill, whose daughter goes to All Saints primary school, said that she was “horrified” when she received the letter. 

However Cllr Phil Harris, spokesman for school meals in Halton, insisted no child in the borough would ever go without food at school if parents were struggling to keep up with dinner money payments. 

In a statement posted on Halton Labour’s Facebook page  he said: “I am concerned by this letter, that appears to say that the school would withhold meals to children if their dinner money is in arrears. However, I can say that no child will go without a lunch at All Saints Upton School in Widnes or any other school the council provides a food service for. I have asked for the council to contact the school about their letter to parents as a matter of urgency.

The school, which at the time of issuing the letter was owed £600 in dinner money debt,  declined to comment on the issue.

However, Cllr Harris has since said that the matter has been resolved, and that  he is satisfied the letter did not intend to suggest children would starve if they owed dinner money.

He said: “I have spoken with the school and I am happy with the explanation that they did not intend to send a letter out that said children will not receive a meal because of debt.

“The children concerned will receive an emergency meal of a sandwich, fruit and a drink and the school have agreed to send out another letter clarifying the issue.

“There are many reasons why parents don’t pay dinner money on time. However all schools have been effected by budget cuts and are responsible for managing dinner money debt on an individual basis.

“However,  the council would never allow children to go hungry and an emergency meal would always be provided.”