Plans to cut the pay and hours of around 200 primary school cooks and kitchen assistants in Neath Port Talbot will leave families struggling to pay their mortgages, staff have warned.

Neath Port Talbot Council is currently undertaking a consultation on the plans which are aimed at saving £100k from the school catering budget.

Under the plans being looked at, breakfast club assistants and cooks are among those affected.

For some people the cuts will mean they take home up to £300 less each month, putting their homes at risk for those paying rent or mortgages.

A school cook who did not wish to be named said: “It’s ridiculous.

“They’re trying to say we are not doing the jobs we are doing.

“The cuts will mean the girls will have to work faster and things are either not going to get done or they won’t be done safely.

“The council wants to put everyone on a kitchen assistant rate after lunch time which is ridiculous – who’s going to take responsibility for all those working there and ensuring everything is clean when the door closes at the end of the day?”

In addition to cooking daily school meals, the responsibilities of school cooks involve environmental health duties, risk assessments, placing orders, taking deliveries and overseeing kitchen assistants.

Unison Neath Port Talbot branch secretary Jane Gebbie said the cuts would have a “massive impact” on staff saying they all worked extra hours and were not paid for the duties they actually do.

As well as the reducing the pay grade of school cooks, it is understood the council is looking at cutting the hours of kitchen assistants by 20 hours a month.

In the county there are around 150 breakfast club assistants and 50 breakfast club cooks in primary schools as well as 120 kitchen assistants and 60 cooks.

Some catering staff who work during breakfast clubs also work during the day.

The consultation which started on October 18 runs for 45 days with plans to implement the changes from April.

The proposed cuts are part of the £12m savings the local authority is planning to make for 2019/20.

A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesman said: “No final decision has yet been taken on proposals which are currently out for consultation with catering staff regarding their pay.”