1st February 2012

UPLYME: Mrs Ethelston's 'forced' to stop serving school dinners

MRS Ethelston’s Primary School in Uplyme has been “forced” to stop serving hot school lunches by the removal of subsidies by Devon County Council.

Cleaning and catering company Devon Norse took over the contract to provide school meals across the county from Devon County Council in September. The school’s governors said the high charges implemented since the takeover has led them to cut school dinners, along with St Andrew’s Primary School in Chardstock.

The governors decided not to renew their contract with Devon Norse and will stop serving school meals in March.

Chairman of the governors, Judy Chisholm, said: “It is with huge regret that the governors of Mrs Ethelston’s Primary School in Uplyme and St Andrew’s Primary in Chardstock have had to notify parents that they will not be renewing their catering contract with Devon Norse and that the existing hot meals service will cease at the end of March.

“Along with many other schools in Devon, the governors have been forced into this position by the removal of subsidies by Devon County Council and the high charges being made by Devon Norse, which took over the contract at the start of September.

“These include increased costs for staffing, energy and management, which neither school can sustain given that the service is running at a loss and has to be subsidised by each school budget.

“In order to ensure continuity of the service, we would be obliged to sign a three-year contract with Devon Norse and the company will not confirm the increases we might be exposed to within the next three years.

“We are continuing to investigate ways of providing hot meals at both schools but so far we have not found another catering company to take over. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that a solution will be found in time for the summer term, but the governors are hoping that we will be able to reintroduce hot meals in the future.

“This decision has been extremely distressing to everyone involved, and we would like to reiterate that we are exploring every avenue possible in order to be able to provide this popular service.”

UPLYME: Mrs Ethelston's 'forced' to stop serving school dinners

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