Higashinaguman Community Hall (Higashinaguman District)
Updated: January 23, 2020
due date
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Q&A overview
| Contents of question | Answer |
|---|---|
| [About the burden of school lunch ingredients due to free early childhood education] With childcare becoming free from October, children will have to pay for school lunches, which I heard costs 7,500 yen a month at Inagi. Please explain the process behind determining the amount. |
・Today (September 27th), the proposed ordinance was brought before the assembly and debated, but there seems to be quite a bit of misunderstanding. There is a misunderstanding that this will mean an additional burden, but childcare fees for everyone will be reduced. Accurate information will be promptly posted on the city website. -The current system reform is to make childcare fees free, but does not include free school lunch fees due to the need for kindergartens. This does not cover the entire cost of school lunches, but rather the actual cost of ingredients, as well as the labor costs of the staff who prepare the meals. In reality, it does not cost 7,500 yen, and the public expense burden is large. Please understand that this is a system in which childcare fees are waived, and school lunch fees are excluded. ・As for how the amount was decided, there were seven discussions at the private nursery school director's association, including the relevant departments. During this discussion, it was decided that children would not necessarily be able to enroll in the nursery school of their choice, but rather that the fees would be the same for each nursery school. The average price at public gardens is 5,400 yen, and the national standard of 3,000 yen for staple food and 4,500 yen for side dishes, for a total of 7,500 yen, was also taken into consideration, and after repeated discussions, the price was decided at 7,500 yen. ・There seems to be another big misconception, and there is widespread information that ``the city provides a subsidy of 3,000 yen per person,'' but this is not true. The comprehensive subsidy was changed to a comprehensive subsidy for child-rearing projects. For this reason, the argument that the amount should be reduced by 3,000 yen does not hold up logically. ・Most cities appear to be paying their own expenses. If Inagi were to lower the amount, city taxes would have to be appropriated, and if 90% of the 2,500 children, or 3,000 yen, were subsidized for around 2,000 children, it would amount to 72 million yen, a large expense. I have no choice but to cut other businesses. ・However, there is room to consider changing the amount of 7,500 yen, and we will hold another school director's meeting to consider it. |
| If the consumption tax increases and the public school charge of 5,400 yen becomes 6,000 yen, how will you use the extra 1,500 yen? I'm not satisfied with it being used for other things. | School lunch expenses are only for ingredients, so they are not used for anything else. Currently, the amount varies depending on the park, so the plan is to standardize it at 7,500 yen. |
| It was said that the decision was made by the school director's meeting, but given that other cities are providing subsidies, was there no request from the school director? | The Tokyo metropolitan government's subsidies are being used up for other aspects of childcare. Each city has its own way of thinking, and Inagi City considers increasing the number of nursery school facilities to be a priority issue. |
| Inagi is the only place in Tokyo that is more expensive, at 4,500 yen, which is better. I would like you to consider reducing the amount, whether it's 500 yen or 1000 yen. | ・The government will not be paying 100% of the cost of making childcare fees free, and the city will also have to bear a huge burden. ・Many cities are public only. Private schools charge actual fees. ・There is an idea to lower the cost of ingredients to 6,000 yen, but don't you think that a 7,500 yen school lunch is better? - It is not possible to resolve conflicts with other cities regarding all individual projects. For example, Inagi City has implemented after-school day care for all children and also has an after-school children's club. |
| Although the number of daycare centers and the number of working parents is increasing, the number of after-school childcare facilities is not increasing. | ・After-school care is being maintained and the number of after-school classes is being increased. This does not mean that after-school care will not be increased. |
| At nursery schools, there are spaces available for children over 3 years old, so please consider the balance. I also want them to think carefully about how to use the Tokyo metropolitan government's comprehensive subsidies. | - Subsidies from the Tokyo metropolitan government are utilized for kindergartens and nursery schools. The subsidy is not based on the amount per person, but on a points-based system, and is allocated to each city. Currently, there is no money left for school lunch expenses. ・With limited financial resources, it is important to decide where to allocate administrative services. For example, after-school classes for children cost 200 million yen, and i-buses cost 100 million yen. There is a strong desire to increase the number of i-buses, but if they were to increase the number of buses every 30 minutes as requested, it would cost 200 million yen. Furthermore, if school lunches were made free for elementary schools, it would cost around 400 million yen, which is something that we cannot afford. |
| The details of how the amount was determined were not explained to parents. The reason for the controversy was the lack of explanation. I know that the city doesn't have the money, but there is no explanation given to those who pay, and my sense of distrust is growing. | ・We must reflect on the fact that we did not convey the information sufficiently. The details will be posted on the city website tomorrow. An extraordinary principal's meeting will be held. Although it may not work as requested, I would like to consider it. |
| [Utilization policy for the site of the first cooking facility] How do you plan to utilize the site of the school lunch kitchen No. 1? |
- The land for the first kitchen was leased land, but since the city does not have the money to purchase the land, the city-owned portion of the site will be sold and other sources of funds will be used. ・The use of the site is still under consideration, but since it is in the middle of a residential area, the plan is to clear it up and build a bridge over the waterway. |
| I used to work at the No. 1 kitchen, but there were many part-time employees. What will happen to the staff structure after the move? | ・In the new kitchen, we would like to have city staff and nutritionists handle the menu creation and ingredient procurement, and outsource the cooking, rather than being directly managed. The cooking staff from the first kitchen will be transferred to the second kitchen. |
| [About joining the neighborhood association] Although the population is increasing with many people moving in, the challenge is getting them to join the residents' association. It is natural to promote the appeal of neighborhood associations, but some people do not know about neighborhood associations themselves, and the membership rate is declining. I would like you to lend me your wisdom on countermeasures. |
・GHQ ordered the dissolution of neighborhood associations after the war, and there are still some municipalities in Tokyo that no longer exist, but I believe that neighborhood associations are essential for promoting collaborative community development. ・As a first impression for new residents, we are distributing PR flyers at city counters to encourage them to join. ・When you join a neighborhood association, you have to play a role, which seems to be a burden. First of all, it might be possible to organize events in order to reduce the burden on executives. Another possibility is a supporting membership system that exempts officers. I would like to share ideas and have discussions. |
| -The number of elderly people is increasing, and the number of people who are unable to take on roles is increasing. What kind of rules are necessary and how should the burden be reduced? | ・In the new town area, you might think that communication is weak, but that is not the case.In some cases, condominium management associations also serve as neighborhood associations, and the membership rate is 100%. -However, I don't think the participation rate is the only measure. Isn't it important whether the activities are lively or not? Even if the participation rate is below 50%, I think it's a good idea to aim for fun activities. |
| [About school districts] Only a part of the 6th elementary school district is in the 4th junior high school district. There is a youth education program, but it is unfortunate that when students become junior high school students, they lose their connection to the community. I would like the neighborhood association division to be linked to the junior high school district. |
・For inquiries regarding school districts, please contact the Academic Affairs Division. ・In addition, there is a discussion forum called the School District Review Committee, and local residents' associations are now included. I think it would be a good idea to have the school district review committee give its opinion. |
Inquiries regarding this page
Inagi City General Affairs Department Secretary Public Relations Division
2111 Higashi-Naganuma, Inagi-shi, Tokyo
Phone: 042-378-2111 Fax: 042-377-4781
