Issue - meetings

This report set out the key findings and recommendations of the Children and Adults Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s in-depth review of healthy eating among children and young people in Medway. The Committee considered this report on 9 September 2010 and paid tribute to the efforts of headteachers, teachers and catering staff of schools that they had visited during the course of the review. It was noted that a Diversity Impact Assessment was included in appendix 2 to the report.

The Committee is asked to consider the final report of the in-depth review of healthy eating among children and young people in Medway and agree the findings and recommendations in order to refer them on to the Cabinet and NHS Medway’s Health Improvements Strategic Change Group.

Discussion:

The Chairman of the task group introduced the report highlighting the work carried out by Members and the visits that had been undertaken. He paid tribute and gave thanks to the hardwork and enthusiasm of officers working in the public health and wellbeing teams, together with the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator for helping to co-ordinate and compile this review.   

The other Members of the task group added their own thanks to officers and commented on the tremendous efforts of Headteachers and catering staff in the schools they had visited which had been very encouraging, despite the difficulties in persuading parents that school meals were a good investment for their children’s health. It was obvious that parents thought they were saving money by providing a packed lunch when in actually fact the children were getting a much better balanced meal through the school especially as, in some cases, this was the only meal the child had throughout the day.

A Youth Parliament representative commended the report but advised that the key issues for him were the education of children and parents and the recommendation for a new planning policy to restrict fast food outlets from operating near to schools, parks and leisure centres.

The Labour group spokesperson advised that he thought the report had commendable aims but that there could be problems with implementation as it was only a month before the consideration of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which would undoubtedly have an effect on schools’ extended services. The Director responded that this was correct but that the report gave details of what was working and the recommendations were not unreasonable. It also highlighted where more could be done, especially with regard to free school meals. The council needed to make it easy for parents to know if they could obtain free meals for their children and to make it simple and accessible once they knew they could claim them.

Decision:

The Committee agreed the recommendations, as set out below:

1.         The Cabinet is recommended to agree that: -

(a)       the Contract Manager for school catering explore further options to provide low income families with information about free school meals and ask the Benefits Team if it is possible to include leaflets with this information when mailing out to claimants and for schools (headteachers in particular) to further encourage, where possible, families who qualify to take up the free school meals;

(b)       school meal caterers are encouraged to promote school meals such as providing tasting opportunities to encourage children to try food without wastage, promoting school meals in Medway town centres and attending parent evenings;

(c)        when new schools are developed in Medway the buildings are designed and built, where possible, to include dining room facilities to provide a relaxed environment for students to enjoy their lunchtimes;

(d)       schools are developed to include food technology facilities which can also be used for extra curricular activities after school for students and the whole community to help teach young people and families  ...  view the full minutes text for item 303