In a drive to improve school meals across the city, a new contract to deliver the service has been awarded.
Chartwells, a leading provider of catering and support services to schools, colleges and universities in the UK, has been selected following an extensive evaluation procedure. The new service will begin in April 2011.
All staff currently providing the schools meals service in Newport as part of Newport Catering will transfer to the new organisation. Their current terms and conditions of employment will be fully protected including pay, hours of work and pension provision.
As part of the contract, Chartwells will also invest £250,000 in the school service.
Newport City Council will make significant savings because of better procurement and reduced management overheads but pupils will benefit from improved and healthier meals. A considerable amount of investment would have been needed in its in-house service to meet the Welsh Assembly’s Appetite for Life action plan.
Schools have been fully involved in the process. Consultation on the current service and what pupils, parents, school staff and other interested parties wanted to see in the future was carried out earlier this year.
Based on that feedback and the Appetite for Life guidance, a new contract was offered for tender.
Councillor David Atwell, cabinet member for young people’s services, said: “It is essential that we provide meals that are healthy, offer choice and are affordable. A balanced diet is essential for our children and young people if they are to develop and grow into healthy adults and links between diet and academic achievements have been made.
“This new contract will ensure that we meet the principles of Appetite for Life and put the needs of our pupils first.”
Councillor Atwell added: “We will do everything we can to ensure that there is as little disruption as possible for both individual employees and schools as the transfer takes place.”
Tony Byrne, Managing Director of Chartwells, said: “We are delighted to form a partnership with Newport and to work together to consolidate the seven key areas of Appetite for Life. Chartwells has a team of chefs and nutritionists who are dedicated to developing menus which not only are compliant with the Government’s food and nutrient based standards but which also feature children’s favourite dishes to ensure that our nutritious and balanced meals are tempting to school pupils of all ages.
“With our expertise and experience in catering for school children around the UK and Ireland, we will bring an underlying stability and consistency of service and quality to all of the primary and secondary schools within this contract.”
- The new contract will start in April 2011 and will be for an initial period of six years, with a possible extension for a further three years.
- All primary schools meals services will be provided under the new contract. Secondary schools were invited to take part in the contract process. Newport High and Caerleon Comprehensive chose to opt out.
- The Welsh Assembly’s Appetite for Life action plan aims to improve the health of children in Wales and outlines what is required to improve the nutritional standards of food and drink provided in Welsh Schools.
