Last week the Government published new minimum nutrition standards forfood, which all schools must meet from September 2006. But some localauthorities are struggling to find contractors to provide healthier foodbecause of fears the service won't be sustainable.
"In the short term it's looking pretty dire," said Kevin McKay, nationalchair of the Local Authority Caterers Association. "There are relativelyfew contractors applying as the costs of achieving the new standards setagainst falling numbers of children eating the food means the service isnot viable."
Bracknell Forest Borough Council received no bids in a recent tenderingexercise for its school meals service. Chris Taylor, contracts managerfor the school meals services at the council, said: "A risk thecontractors saw was the jump to new standards."
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