As of: February 2, 2024, 7:45 a.m
By: Ulrike Osman
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Lunch in a school (sample photo) © IMAGO/STEFAN AREND
It sounds like bad news, but it's the opposite.
The prices of Türkenfelder school meals will rise significantly on April 1st.
But parents are in favor of it for a reason.
Türkenfeld – According to Mayor Emanuel Staffler (CSU), the increase is happening with the express agreement of the parent representatives.
Because – and this is the good news – the school cafeteria can remain in its current form.
The cantina cooks freshly from Monday to Thursday and is closed on Fridays.
17,000 meals are prepared for the students every year.
Türkenfeld is considered the only place in the district that has its own kitchen for a comparatively small number of meals prepared every day and employs its own staff for this purpose.
In other schools, meals are delivered by caterers.
Significant deficit
It was almost a case of switching to this approach in Türkenfeld: Shortly before Christmas, the local council passed a corresponding resolution - in a non-public meeting, as it also involved personnel matters.
At the end of July, the kitchen was to be closed and operations switched to food deliveries.
The cantina recently caused a significant deficit.
Given the current food prices, 64,000 euros would have been collected in the current school year.
This compares to expenses of 134,000 euros.
This year alone, the municipality would have had to contribute 70,000 euros to running the cafeteria, almost 10,000 euros more than in 2021.
Personnel costs
The main reason is the increased personnel costs following the most recent collective bargaining agreements.
According to Staffler, the cantina is “by far the most expensive voluntary service in the community” and inevitably had to be questioned in times of tight financial situation.
In discussions with the class parent representatives, however, it emerged that the parents would be willing to pay higher prices: “The parent representatives emphasized that the fact of fresh cooking on site was worth something to them,” said Staffler.
25 percent
The local council then passed a new fee statute.
From April, prices will rise by 25 percent.
Four lunches a week then cost a monthly flat rate of 74.10 euros (previously: 59.85 euros).
In addition, the Cantina team wants to optimize its operations to reduce staff and time requirements.
The deficit can be reduced to 30,000 euros.
This is acceptable for the municipal administration, as the caterer model would not have been able to cover costs.
Here the municipality would still have had to contribute 20,000 euros.
“It’s a big weight off my heart,” said Staffler.
“I’m really pleased that we can keep the cantina.” Positive voices also came from the council.
Irmgard Meißner (Greens) was convinced that the offer was sustainable and had “an educational effect on the children”.
From 2025 onwards, meal fees will be adjusted to reflect future tariff increases at the start of each school year.
You can find even more current news from the Fürstenfeldbruck district at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.