Dinnerladies get the boot in Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway Council have faced harsh criticism over their controversial decision to sack around 20 food jobs in local schools. Run by Tory/Lib Dem Administration, the Education Committee is inevitably facing further condemnation from Labour councillors as well as outraged dinnerladies over the food job cuts.
The Education Committee announced that they will be changing the way children in the area 'do lunch', introducing a new deli-style service rather than the traditional hot meals served up by dinnerladies. Pupils will have a more limited choice of food for their lunch, which they will have to pre-order in the morning.
These changes will mean the loss of around twenty jobs and reduced hours for existing staff in schools such as Dalry High, Dalbeattie High, Kirkcudbright Academy, Stranraer Academy and many others.
Interestingly, the subject of the food job cuts was not included in the official report presented by the Education Committee. It was only once grilled by Labour Education Spokesman Jeff Leaver that the real future of the region's food job workers was revealed.
MP Russell Brown condemned the changes, saying:
The Education Committee announced that they will be changing the way children in the area 'do lunch', introducing a new deli-style service rather than the traditional hot meals served up by dinnerladies. Pupils will have a more limited choice of food for their lunch, which they will have to pre-order in the morning.
These changes will mean the loss of around twenty jobs and reduced hours for existing staff in schools such as Dalry High, Dalbeattie High, Kirkcudbright Academy, Stranraer Academy and many others.
Interestingly, the subject of the food job cuts was not included in the official report presented by the Education Committee. It was only once grilled by Labour Education Spokesman Jeff Leaver that the real future of the region's food job workers was revealed.
MP Russell Brown condemned the changes, saying:
"I am bitterly disappointed that the Tories and Lib Dems have voted to scrap these jobs. The Council's approach to this has been completely backward. Rather than cutting jobs they should be looking at how to increase school meal uptake."
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