HES 30 - Powys Councy Council
On behalf of Powys County Council I am writing in response to the consultation document and your letter dated 16th May 2008.
In response to the questions posed:
1. Is there a need for an Assembly Measure to promote healthy eating in schools in view of existing initiatives within this policy area?
There is no need for an additional measure as school meal providers are currently working within existing legislation. The statutory nutritional standards required for school lunches are laid down in the Education (Nutritional Standards for School Lunches (Wales) Regulations 2001.
The guidance documents provided by the Welsh Assembly Government provides advice for school governors, head teachers and caterers on the statutory standards required for school lunches.
Powys County Catering Services (PCCS)is totally committed to the healthy eating principles and are already providing healthy and nutritious meals and attempting to maintain the service within the financial constraints and budget.
From the perspective of providing school meals, we as caterers’ have the view that guidance and partnership working has been sufficient and has worked well to date and believe that regulation and enforcement would be an additional and unnecessary burden and cost.
PCCS welcome and support The Appetite for Life Action Plan that was launched in November 2007. This sets out the strategic direction and actions required to improve the nutritional standards of food and drink provided in schools in Wales. Its development was formed as a result of a consultation exercise with various stakeholders that included children and young people’s views, together with lessons learnt from other parts of the UK.
A Whole School Approach is the underlying “thread” throughout the plan and encourages co operation and partnership with key stakeholders together with cross border working.
As with any initiative, PCCS work closely and engage with the children and young people in schools as their views need to be reflected in any outcomes or decisions and changes that affect the school meal service.
2.Do you support the key provisions set out in the proposed Measure,
i.e. the duty of Welsh Ministers, governing bodies, head teachers and local education authorities to promote healthy eating in schools
Healthy eating should be part of an inspection regime and includes reporting requirements on Welsh Ministers,the Chief Inspector of Education and training in Wales and governing bodies
Power of Welsh Ministers to specify maximum levels of salt, sugar and artificial additives in food and drink provided for pupils on school premises
Encouraging take up of school meals and protection of identity of those who receive them; and
The duty on local education authorities to ensure availability of drinking water for pupils
PCCS support the key provisions in principle as they are broadly similar to those outlined in the Appetite for Life Action Plan.
The key difference is that the time frame for the Appetite for Life Action Plan provides a period to “try and test “ the actions to ensure that they are workable prior to regulation.
There will be a requirement as part of this process to engage with school colleagues, Head teachers and School Governors so they are aware of the duty and the impact this may have during the school working day.
Comments from colleagues within Children’s Services –
Ref Section 4 - Section 30 0f the 2002 Act(1A)
Interesting that in the new Maintained Partnership Agreement 2007 there is no mention or reference to this?
If Chief Inspector of Schools is to be held accountable for reporting how are ESTYN's Inspectors going to measure and judge "the extent to which there appears to have been an increase in healthy eating"
Re Supply of Drinking Water:
Major issue for LA if it will become responsibility of LEA to ensure free chilled not near toilets, supply of drinking water on any school premises it maintains - rather than it be the schools responsibility eg fixing the situation for those who have not addressed this issue
Section 9/10
Home School Liaison - new extended role for our EWO as part of LEA responsibility to take steps to ensure pupils entitled to receive FSM receive them (Or is it a Social Workers Job to advise and help ?)
School implications for training and protocol and/or staff policy - to ensure that no staff, clerk or LSA identifies a FSM meal - need a way of all schools having an anonymous way if collecting FSM "MUST NOT BE IDENTIFIED"
What are the practical implications of putting these provisions in place?
The main concerns that PCCS have are the financial aspects and implications on existing budget together with the time frame of bringing in the regulation.
The cost estimate outlined in the measure of “an anticipated maximum investment £17million - £38 million for Wales over a three year period (Annex A) falls short of the amount that we believe as a member of LACA is actually required to provide healthier school meals in Wales.
Due to the lack of investment over the last ten years many of the kitchens in Powys as with other authorities existing equipment will require upgrading/replacing/improving to meet the standards.
Not withstanding the huge increase in the cost of food items experienced over the last six months and estimates of 15-20% for the forthcoming year, the financial estimates outlined do not include additional funding resources required to meet the cost of the food on the plate to meet the new standards and nutritional requirements.
PCCS have strong concerns about the current position in which the school meals service finds itself in with regard to being ”singled out” as the way forward in improving children’s diets. The school meal represents less than a third of a child or young persons food intake per day and the services only operate for five days per week, 75% of the year as the school terms total 39 weeks.
PCCS have had to closely monitor the hours worked by kitchen staff to enable them to produce meals from raw ingredients.
Due to the volumes of meals required, staff hours will probably have to increase as they will be required to commence work early in the morning to prepare, cook and provide meals for the school lunch breaks which commence at noon.
It is for these reasons that it is recommended that more research is carried out to form a more realistic and accurate cost of the provision of healthier meals is carried out as a matter of urgency.
Additional funding will be required and time will be needed to engage with pupils in respect of the importance of a balanced diet and healthy eating particularly in secondary schools.
Are there further provisions that you would like to see added to the proposed Assembly Measure?
Packed Lunches should be included in any regulation or legislation
Any regulation or legislation made by the Welsh Assembly Government should include food that pupils bring in from home – i.e. the packed lunches and food for breaks etc. that are currently not controlled.
If pupils are allowed to bring in crisps, sweets, chocolate and other sugary food and fizzy drinks into school then this will undermine the healthy eating work going on in schools.
Legislation to ensure the lunch period should be a minimum of one hour
Nutritional education and cookery lessons as part of the curriculum activity recently introduced in our schools, it is vital that what is learnt in the class room is put into practice and taken from the classroom to practice in the dining hall.
However with the current trend of schools shortening lunch breaks nutritional education is not going to be much benefit if schools do not allow pupils sufficient time to eat lunch.
PCCS are serving 600 – 800 pupils in schools with a 40 minute lunch period!! This is contrary to the beliefs and commitments we all have in giving pupils time to make educated healthy choices and sit and eat in a social environment.
Healthy schools and healthy pupils should be seen as important as academic achievement, the school lunch period should be treated as important in the school day as academic studies.
Free School Meals for all pupils in Wales
The question has previously been raised by UNISON and LACA members that if the Welsh Assembly Government is truly serious about improving the long term health of our children and young people in Wales then should we not be considering or calling for school meals to be available to every pupil free of charge?
School meals should be regarded as an integral part of the academic day for all pupils. Just as lessons are free for all, free school meals for all would ensure that every pupil is treated equally with the same chance for a healthier diet and future life.
Although there will be a need for investment – long term benefits will include the reduction of the health bill and cost to our National Health Service in Wales.
Comments from colleagues within Children’s Services –
Further and extended training for Midday Supervisors and staff doing admin tasks such as FSM dinner numbers
Do you think the proposed Assembly Measure will achieve its overall purpose and aim, i.e.to enable a holistic, comprehensive “made in Wales” policy on nutrition in schools to be developed and implemented?
We cannot be expected to enforce a radical change of eating on children in school when we as a nation have yet to embrace this healthier eating philosophy.
We need to nurture a social environment in this country that renders healthier food more attractive and accessible. This together with a policy of positive price discrimination in favour of healthier food options will encourage greater family purchase and thereby greater recognition/acceptance by children and young people of these food in their every day lives.
It therefore has to be recognised that this change in eating culture will take a long time – at least another generation to make the marked improvements in healthy choices.
It is for this reason that we are unclear as to how an enforcement route will speed the process up?
Based on the current food culture in this country, imposing yet more radical regulatory changes is unlikely to bring about the major improvements everyone is anticipating in the school meal consumption made by the children and young people in Wales. Potentially there will be further confusion and food waste that will not help meet the aims and targets of improving the health and reduce the levels of obesity in Wales.
Yours Sincerely,
Peter Marrs
Peter Marrs MIH
Rheolwr – Rheoli Cyfleusterau
Facilities Management Manager
