Quangos update – School Food Trust continues as charity but loses its NDPB status

This was just one of the announcements made as part of today's Quangos update. The Community Interest Company will work alongside the charity - enabling the Trust to work with young people, schools, parents, councils, health organisations and government departments to increase the number of children eating healthy school meals. The Government's announcement also confirms its expectation that the Trust will continue to take forward a number of activities for the Department for Education (DfE). The level of future DfE support for the Trust is dependent on the spending review outcome and the tasks the Trust is asked to undertake for the department. Responding to today's announcement, School Food Trust Chairman, Rob Rees, said he is happy with the result: "Over the last few months we have been working closely with the Government to develop a realistic and achievable plan to build upon the improvements in school food which have taken place in recent years. "Since it was established, the Trust has developed an enormous amount of expertise in school food and food education, working with schools, local authorities and other groups to make sure that school lunches are wholesome, tasty and affordable, and to increase the number of children eating them. Numbers are now climbing and a recent survey of parents suggested that this is leading to children eating a wider range of foods at home. "We are confident that our new status as a Community Interest Company and charity means we will be able to work with everyone involved in children's food and drink to inspire improvements in food and education and give our young people a great start in life." Christine Haigh of the Children's Food Campaign said although she is happy with the result, she is still wary: "This announcement is yet more evidence that the new government has failed to recognise the importance of school food. The School Food Trust has played an important role in transforming school food over the last few years, but sadly this work is far from complete." "While we are pleased that the School Food Trust will continue to exist as a charity, we are well aware that charities lack the status and security of funding that children's health deserves." Sandra Russell, Chairman, Local Authority Caterers Association said LACA will continue to support The School Food Trust in every way possible: "The Local Authority Caterers Association will continue to work as closely as possible with the School Food Trust within the framework of its new status as a Community Interest Company and charity, once there is a clearer understanding of its new role, aims and remit going forward. "It is absolutely essential that those at the frontline of school catering services also continue to receive the support necessary from Government in order to maintain the standard and quality of school meals. Thousands of children and young people nationwide are now enjoying highly nutritious, freshly prepared school meals and in the past year, school meal uptake has risen in both Primary and Secondary schools for the first time since 2005. "Given the contribution school meals can make to children's health and the hard work of the past five years in transforming the school meals service, everyone is hoping that next week's announcement about the Government's spending review will not see funding for the school meals service cut or reduced. Currently, the School Lunch Grant is scheduled to come to an end in March 2011. "At a time of economic crisis, it is to be expected that all corners of society have to look at ways to make savings. However, LACA is concerned that, despite the need for widespread public sector belt tightening, school meal services are protected as much as possible. Government support would increase the potential for Local Authorities and schools to sustain a quality school meals service, at a time when they may well be having to re- consider the level of services they can provide. "LACA would li