HES 23 - Torfaen County Borough Council

Healthy Eating Consultation

1.Is There A Need For An Assembly Measure To Promote Healthy Eating In Schools In View Of Existing Initiatives Within This Policy Area?

1.1In principal Torfaen County Borough Council agrees with the proposal for an Assembly Measure to promote healthy eating in schools, but feels that this is not the appropriate time to introduce it because of the extensive project work which is about to commence in a number of Authorities across Wales.  The project, work based on the Appetite for Life guidance issued by the Assembly in November 2007, will tackle the introduction of healthier school meals, both food based and nutritionally balanced, by a number of incremental step changes which will enable all stakeholders to be fully consulted with and engaged.  This considered approach to change will better equip Wales to avoid the many problems that have occurred in England, such as a significant reduction in the up take of school meals.

2.The Key Provisions Set Out In The Proposed Measure

2.1Torfaen supports the recommendations that it is a duty of Welsh ministers, governing bodies, headteachers and LEA’s to promote healthy eating in schools.  Appetite for Life guidance will ensure that we have a committed and consistent approach to the supply of food across the school day.  Torfaen would also like to see within the proposed measure legislation for incidental activities such as food supplied for parties, walks, outings and of course packed lunches supplied by parents for pupils that do not take up a school lunch, as the principals of a healthy lifestyle need to be reinforced by all who have input into a school day.  The expectation of schools to have a food and fitness policy in place by Sept 2008 would further reinforce the significance of healthy eating within schools if this was made a statutory requirement.

a.Torfaen supports the proposals that healthy eating should be part of the inspection regime and includes reporting requirements of Welsh Ministers, Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales and Governing Bodies.  It is an essential requirement that any Estyn Inspector is suitably trained and qualified to implement this.  Torfaen welcomes the proposals to interview samples of pupils, catering staff and observe activities during breakfast, break and lunch as well as reviewing the contents of vending machines and relevant documentation as part of the inspection process.

b.With regard to reviewing menus for breakfast, snacks and school lunches against the relevant standards however, this should not form part of the inspection programme unless the school has a delegated budget for meals, and it is the school governing body which has responsibility for the provision of these meals.  Where the LEA has responsibility Torfaen feels that this should be inspected and commented upon as part of the LEA inspection process.

Torfaen supports the measure that it would be the 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 for pupils on school premises.  This would be done through regulation and any changes to nutritional standards as a result of new research would then be introduced incrementally.

Torfaen is in agreement with encouraging the take up of school meals through promotion and marketing.  We agree with protecting the identity of those receiving them through for example cashless systems as long as there is available funding to support this initiative.

Torfaen supports ensuring the availability of drinking water for pupils and recognises the importance of hydration on concentration.  However it should be the schools responsibility for the provision of freely available drinking water and the cost of this should be reflected in the Revenue Support Grant from WAG.

The Practical Implications For Putting These Provisions In Place Are:

There will be a financial and administrative impact on all Authorities regarding the introduction of any guidelines regardless of legislation at this time or not.

The practical implications of new nutritional standards will mean increased food costs, ongoing practical training for caterers and use of nutritional analyses software and the purchase of additional catering equipment as most school kitchens are currently in a poor state of repair.  Funding for some of these elements has been made available but most alarmingly of all does not take into account additional food cost nor additional labour costs; the main areas that will influence change.

There will be practical implications to schools and LEA’s introducing electronic systems for determining eligibility for free meals.  These include funding, training and maintenance of systems and marketing.

Provision of access to free water will include funding implications for schools on a long term basis in order to ensure sustainability.

The criteria that ESTYN will use in their inspection process of either the school or LEA must be made readily available in order to effectively disseminate information.

Some of the issues will be addressed through the New Curriculum 2008 which will require additional training for school staff, the availability of appropriate facilities and equipment and the revision of school short term planning for curriculum provision.  The recommendations for a Food and Fitness Policy will require schools to consult with key stakeholders; this in itself is a timely but necessary process which will impact on the school day.  The cooking bus is an excellent resource for the promotion of healthy eating that supports practical cooking skills within the curriculum. However it is disappointing that there is only one cooking bus and therefore it significantly limits the number of schools that can access this resource.

Further Provision That We Would Like To See Included In The Measure Are:

4.1A statutory requirement of a Food and Fitness Policy for all schools in order to have a consistent approach to this agenda throughout Wales.

A statutory requirement to regulate packed lunches provided by parents.

A statutory requirement to regulate the length of the lunch period to 1 hour.

5. Will This Proposed Assembly Measure Achieves Its Overall Purpose And Aim?

5.1It is difficult to ascertain whether the proposed Assembly Measure will achieve its overall purpose and aim in its current format and we believe that the timing is not appropriate in light of the above comments. Further consideration needs to be given to funding as at this time the sums awarded to manage change are considerably less then lose awared to England and consideration needs to be given to long term funding to improve kitchen equipement, labour and food.