KCC SCHOOL MEALS CLAIM "INDIGESTIBLE"

4.36.33pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Apr 2005

A bit indigestible that Tory KCC is trying to take credit for healthy school meal standards

KCC Lib Dems have been astonished at a recent KCC press release on Kent School Meals. The press release boasted that school meals in Kent meet nutritional standards set by the Caroline Walker Trust, and has been awarded a Heartbeat Award. However, it fails to mention that the Caroline Walker Trust standards were introduced in 1997, whilst the Council was under Liberal Democrat/Labour control, as was the Heartbeat Award scheme for schools.

KCC officers confirmed this was correct following a query from Trudy Dean, Leader of the Lib Dem Group who was co-chair of the Education Committee at the time. Trudy said: "We put these healthy eating guidelines in place after the Conservatives abolished school milk. We find it a bit indigestible that Tory KCC is trying to take credit for healthy school meal standards which we put in place in Kent schools because the Tory Government had abolished national standards!."

Note:

The cost of a school meal in a primary school is £1.55 per head, and £1.65 is charged in secondary schools. Of this 55p to 60p is said to be spent on ingredients. 12% of primaries and 84% of secondaries do not use KCC contractor but are responsible for their own catering. Only one child in three takes school meals in Kent.