Council eats humble pie after climbdown on home baking ban

Published on Thursday 25 June 2009 00:13

THE Scottish council which sparked a public outcry by imposing a controversial ban on home baking stalls at school funding raising events has been forced to eat humble pie.

Dundee City Council yesterday announced that the authority is to issue fresh guidelines on home baking at school ftes and fun days to allow parents and children to sell fairy cakes, tablet, scones and other treats to help boost primary and secondary coffers.

The city council sparked a storm of protest last month after officials in the education department imposed the unprecedented ban on home baking stalls because of claims that they constituted a "health threat". The ban came to light in a letter from Barnhill Primary to parents about its annual end-of-term fun day, with local authority officials warning that the sale of "privately" baked or produced food would not be permitted at any fundraising event.

The council's stance attracted a flurry of criticism from parents, rural institutes, celebrity chefs, and even microbiologists.

But the council has now been forced into a major U-turn following the direct intervention of Ken Guild, the leader of the council's new Scottish National Party administration.

A spokesman for the council said: "Dundee City Council's education department is changing its management rules on home baked goods at events organised by schools, following further consideration of available risk mitigation measures.

"Following an intervention by leader of the council, Ken Guild, the education department will issue new guidelines which will stress that, if simple hygiene and food safety rules are followed, home baking will be allowed at school-led fun days and fairs.

"It will bring schools into line with parent councils and other outside organisations, which have been able to sell home baked goods at events they have organised."

The Food Standards Agency has maintained it is safe to eat home baking, provided parents follow basic hygiene and ensure cakes are stored and transported safely.

Now, authorities in Dundee are following the FSA's line. An education department spokesman said there had been "confusion" surrounding a previous policy on the issue, which had been influenced by an outbreak of E coli at MacDuff Primary school in Aberdeenshire a decade ago.

He said: "We are now changing that. We recognise that home baking can strengthen the partnership between the school and the home as well as being a means of raising funds.

"It can also encourage children to try something different and to develop their own tastes in food."