Junk food warning over school meals deal

Published on Tuesday 17 January 2012 12:04

PRIVATISING school meals risks an increase in junk food, councillors have been warned.

City council chiefs want to hand over control of all school catering to private firm Mitie Group, as part of outsourcing plans for £61 million a year’s worth of public services which also include janitors, cleaners and porters.

Under the contract, the firm will face penalties unless school meal take-up rises by nearly a third by the end of 2013.

Alison Johnstone, Green education spokeswoman on the council, said: “We would have to be absolutely clear about how any service provider intended reaching these targets. We do not want a race to the bottom in terms of quality and produce.”

Peter Hunter, regional organiser of trade union Unison, which opposes the outsourcing plan, said: “There is a definite risk that they go for junkier food to get kids in.”

A council spokeswoman said the contract specification sent to bidders said school meals would have to be healthy and up to a good standard, but declined to comment on how the increase would be achieved under the proposal because the details were “commercially sensitive”.

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Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head

Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 01:19 PM

And what thread on drink would that be Tartancult?

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4

Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head

Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 01:16 PM

Perhaps if they went back to the traditional school dinners of the 1970s, kids would be more inclined to eat them instead of diving for the nearest greasy spoon takeaway?

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Tartancult

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 09:09 PM

Interesting....3 comments on food and dozens on the booze thread(s). Nice to know what attracts the interest of the average Scot.

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Afredo Garcia

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 01:00 PM

Years ago the Beeslack school at Penecuik pioneered 'healthy eating choices. The then Labour local authority's payment procedures were so disorganised that staff had to pay for organic and healthy foods themselves to ensure that traders were paid promptly and ingrediants made available the school.

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unimpressedone

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 12:42 PM

'Green education spokeswoman' - salads?

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