2021

CAT0274 - Use of school kitchens for after school clubs - 290921

A Member Authority are seeking information on the use of school kitchens for after school clubs i.e. people from the school/an external provider using the kitchen, not the contractor. In particular the Member Authority are seeking information on the following:-

1. Within your local authority, are schools permitted to use the kitchen to provide services such as breakfast, after school clubs or for other activities, where the provision is not via the contractor/in house catering team?
2. If so, do you have an agreement in place covering off areas such as heavy and light equipment that can be used, storage of food items/restricted food items and required levels of cleanliness etc. - and would it be at all possible to share this please?

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CAT0273 - Contingency planning for the start of the new school year - 110821

APSE is seeking information regards what contingency plans local authorities have in place for the start of the new school year to mitigate the impact of disruption to food deliveries and associated issues on the school catering service. 

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CAT0272 - Employment terms and conditions for senior management teams - 230621

A member authority is interested in the employment terms and conditions other authorities offer to the senior management team running the schools meals service, specifically the Head of Catering Service/Catering Service Manager as well as the Area Operations Managers (these are the ones who look after an allocated group of school contracts). 

They would like to know the working pattern in place at different LAs for these officers throughout the year and policy on taking annual leave during the long schools summer break. How many weeks of the year do the Area Managers work e.g. is it 52 weeks a year? Corporate term time only? Corporate term time plus two weeks etc. 

What happens during the long summer break which is typically 6 to 78 weeks, do Area Managers work throughout this period? Are they required to take a specified period off as annual leave e.g. two weeks or more?

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CAT0271 - Meals on Wheels provision - 140621

A Member Authority is seeking information regarding Local Authority Meals on Wheels provision. Specifically the authority would like to know the following:

• Does your authority have a meals on wheels service?
  • If Yes:
    • How many days a week do you supply - 365 days? 7 days a week (excluding bank holidays)? Weekdays only?
    • What’s the cost of a main meal/ main meal and dessert?
    • How many activate customers do you have?
  • If No, who do you refer to?

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CAT0270 - Point of sale systems to enable cashless transactions - 090621

A member authority is seeking information regarding point of sale systems to enable cashless transactions. The member authority would specifically like to know the following:-

1. What point of sale system are you currently using to enable cashless transactions (possibly biometrics) please?
2. Do you have to fund periodic system updates as part of the process, in addition to maintenance costs?

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CAT0269 – School Crossing Patrol Service – Cameras – 280521

This local authority is looking into body cams/ lollicams and would be grateful for information on the following:-

1. Do your School Crossing Patrollers currently use body cameras or lollicams?
2. Are you currently considering purchasing body cameras or lollicams for your Patrollers?
3. Have you tried to implement body cameras or lollicams and been faced with any challenges?
4. Do you currently use road side cameras to assist in providing evidence when dealing with bad driving / near misses at SCP sites?

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CAT0268 - Preparation for Natasha’s Law - 200521

A Member Authority are seeking information regarding how other Local Authorities are managing the implementation of Natasha’s Law, with the focus on school meals provision.

Is your authority buying and introducing new labelling systems or transferring the risk to suppliers by purchasing sandwiches, packed lunch items that are ready wrapped?

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CAT0267 - Procedures regarding special diets throughout the pandemic - 200521

A Member Authority is seeking information on how other councils have you adapted their procedures regarding special diets throughout the pandemic, particularly in regards to food being sent down to classrooms.

Have you introduced any additional precautions to ensure diets continue to be catered for safely?

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CAT0266 – Lost income from school meals – 150221

A member authority is seeking information regarding lost income from school meals and what other councils are doing. In particular the member authority would like to know the following:-

1. Are you recouping lost income from schools for FSM and UIFSM during lockdown following the issue of DfE guidelines?
   • If so, how are you calculating the lost income?
2. Are you providing meals for pupils attending school during lockdown (keyworker’s children and/or vulnerable children)?
   • If so. What type of meals are you providing?
3. Have you furloughed staff during this lockdown?

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CAT0265 - Guidance on mixed Halal and non Halal provision - 150221

A member authority is seeking advice and guidance on mixed Halal and non Halal provision.  The member authority are specifically interested in the following:-

1. Where a mixed Halal and non Halal provision is provided, how do you ensure the integrity of the halal provision through storage, preparation and service?
2. How is this monitored and verified?

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CAT0264 - Halal meals in schools – 290121

A member authority are seeking information regarding Halal meals. They would specifically like to know the following;-

1. Do you provide Halal meals within your schools and if so, what % of schools is this across the contract?
2. In these schools, is the provision all halal or is a dual service provided?
3. Which halal foods do you use and do these meals use stunned or non-stunned meat?