Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, is to formally raise concerns around school meal provision in Powys with the Leader of the Council.
The issue was brought to the AMs attention by a number of parents and school governors from across the county concerned that Powys County Council’s current school meals policy was not only ‘extreme’ but it was contributing to increased levels of snacking and poor dietary choices.
Mr George has committed himself to taking this issue up with the Leader of Powys Council, Cllr David Jones and challenge him as to why such an authoritarian approach has been adopted as corporate policy.
Commenting, Mr George said:
“A number of school governors and parents have contacted me concerned about the Council’s school dinner’s policy.
“As I have been made aware, current Council policy dictates that all primary school children across the county, regardless of age, are receiving the same portion of food.
“On top of that, ‘second helpings’ of lunch have been outlawed.
“This dictatorial approach to school meals is so crazy it’s almost totalitarian!
“Parents are telling me that their children are coming home hungry, which then causes them to snack before their evening meal, all of which isn’t lending itself to children leading healthy lifestyles.
“Children of 10 and 11 years of age are clearly going to require different levels of nutrition to those of 4 and 5 year olds…this isn’t rocket science.
“It seems more sensible to me, to allow decisions on school meals provision to be made at a local level by the individual school – by school dinner staff and teachers because they are better placed to make discretionary decisions, rather than imposed diktats from County Hall.
“I intent to raise this at the next full council meeting and ask for the rational why current policy is set as it is.
“There should be a quick and short review to this issue, as it’s balmy that a child of 11 should have the same portion as a 4 year old.”
