Figures show that parents of primary school children have racked up £70,000 of debt for unpaid school dinners.
Newtown county councillor Joy Jones has already called for children up to Year Two in primary schools to have free school meals.
This is the policy in England and Cllr Jones would like to see it implemented in Wales.
She hopes to be able to discuss this with the Welsh Government Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, AM.
Cllr Jones, said: “£70,000 is a huge amount. People are really struggling to stay afloat, and parents can rack up debt with the current system very quickly.
“I have spoken to people who are in this situation. Once people do that it’s difficult to get out of it.
“I feel if all children up to the age of seven are given free school
“I’m not just talking about Powys, but the whole of Wales and I have written to Kirsty Williams asking for a meeting to discuss this.”
In this year’s
A spokesman for PCC confirmed that the figure of £70,000 is correct and for secondary school pupils the figure is £4,000.
“If there is no credit on the ParentPay account then a secondary aged pupil would not get a meal, a primary pupil would be fed and an invoice raised or email alert sent to the parent/guardian,” said the PCC spokesperson.
A Welsh Government,
“Nonetheless, we offer learners free school milk up to the age of
Photo: Cllr Joy Jones (©2019)