HES 21 - Cardiff Council

Consultation – HES Committee; proposed Healthy Eating in Schools Measure

Response from Schools and Lifelong Learning Service, Cardiff Council

1.Is there a need for an Assembly Measure to promote healthy eating in schools in view of existing initiatives within this policy area?

No. The Assembly has recently considered legislation on school meals and taken the prudent decision not to legislate but rather to enter into a research phase that can inform any future legislation. The Appetite for Life Action (A4L) Research Project will allow the opportunity to consult with pupils, parents, schools and catering providers enabling a consensus of actions and timing that will avoid the rapid decline in school meals experienced in Scotland and England, following the introduction of their school meals legislation.  It is evidently necessary to consult on any proposals for food restrictions and nutritional standards before implementation to avoid alienating those who were targeted to benefit. Appetite for Life was widely consulted upon and provides a whole school approach to improving the food and drink provision in schools, further or duplicate legislation is not necessary.

2.Do you support the key provisions set out in the proposed measure?

The duty on Welsh Ministers, governing bodies, head teachers and local education authorities to promote healthy eating in schools;

Those groups who need to be involved in and responsible for school catering will emerge from the A4L research phase.

Healthy eating should be part of the inspection regime and includes reporting requirements on Welsh Ministers, the Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales and governing bodies;

An inspection regime will emerge from the A4L research phase.

Power of Welsh Ministers to specify nutritional standards, including the requirement to specify maximum levels of salt, sugar and artificial additives in food and drink provided to pupils on school premises;

Nutrient standards are covered in A4L.

Encouraging take up of (free) school meals and protection of identity of those who receive them

Free school meals initiatives are covered in A4L.

The duty on local education authorities to ensure availability of drinking water for pupils

Water availability is covered in A4L.

3.What are the practical implications of putting these provisions in place?

Legislation should not be considered until the research phase of A4L is complete and an analysis of the impact of similar legalisation in other countries on the take up of school meals concluded.

4.Are there further provisions that you would like to see added to the proposed Assembly Measure?

Any consideration on the future of school meals should look to protecting the time children have to eat their meals. The current practice of reducing lunch times by schools is the biggest threat to any government’s plans of improving the health of children.

5.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?

Yes, if Wales allows time to research, consult and learn from the actions of others.

Wales has committed to giving children and young people a voice, we believe that given the opportunity it is they that will determine the way forward to good health; all we need to do is listen.

Yours sincerely,

Sue Eakers

DSU Group Manager, Schools and Lifelong Learning Service
Rheolwr Grwp DSU, Gwasanaeth Ysgolion a Dysgu Gydol Oes