Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        Any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        Any prejudicial interests or

·        Any disclosable pecuniary interests

Which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were asked to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests or any disclosable pecuniary interests which they may have in respect of business on the agenda.

None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2013.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the last School Meals Scrutiny Review Task Group held on Tuesday 25November 2013 be approved and signed by the Chair.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak on an item on the agenda or an issue within the Task Group’s remit can do so.

Anyone who wishes to register or who requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officers for this meeting, details of whom are listed at the foot of this agenda.

The deadline for registering to speak is 5:00pm on Friday 24 January 2014.

It was reported that there were no registrations to speak under the Councils Public Participation Scheme.

This interim report presents the final information gathered in support of this review and asks the Task Group to identify their review conclusions and draft recommendations.  

Members considered the interim report that presented the final information gathered in support of this review and asked the Task Group to identify their review conclusions and draft recommendations.

The Chair stated that the majority of the following schools were visited, where possible, over the lunchtime period by one or two Members of the Task Group:

·        Carr Infant School

·        Westfield Primary School

·        Woodthorpe Primary School

·        Robert Wilkinson Primary School (no visit, phone conversation only)

·        Joseph Rowntree Secondary School

·        York High

Each Member gave an update on their visit and it was commonly agreed that:

In regard to the Primary Schools visited:

•       Most Heads were very involved and passionate about the food their school provided, although the majority did not want the responsibility of running their kitchens.

•       The relationship between the Head Cook and Senior

Leadership Team was key to the successful provision of school meals.

•       There were some concerns about the frequency of the delivery of fresh produce, although the quality of food on offer was good.

•       Most were actively working to increase their uptake of free school meals.

•       Most were happy with their current contracts.

•       All were encouraging pupils to have a meal and most would be aware if a child had not received a meal.

•       The caring ethos in each school was very apparent and each had their own way of supporting and personalising requirements for any children with Special Educational Needs or disabilities.

In regard to Secondary Schools visited:

·       There was the potential that some may choose to opt out of the City of York Council contract in the future as they were aware that they were subsidising primary schools and some considered the management fees high.  They could also see the potential for making a profit in the future should they decide to provide the meals themselves or make alternative contractual arrangements, either on their own or in collaboration with other schools. In the future, the Council may need to consider if and how it might act as broker and facilitator of innovative arrangements between schools.

·         Pupils want more choice.

·         The layout of some dining areas made it more difficult to monitor the uptake of meals & free school meals.

·         Healthy eating options were provided but the age and preferences of secondary pupils makes monitoring and encouraging their take up difficult

·         Where parental and student views had been collected by schools, the cost of school meals was seen as an issue.

It was agreed that Burton Green and Elvington Primary School would still be visited and any feedback would be sent to the Scrutiny Officer. The Head of Schools Services would make the arrangements for two Members to visit Burton Green.¹

The Chair confirmed that the Press article, requesting parental views on school meals, had been delayed but would still be published within the agreed timescales. Officers would also write to all remaining Head teachers within York to request any school meal comments their school may have received  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.