Jobs to be created in school meals roll-out

More than 170 jobs will be created and staff given extra hours when free school meals are rolled out to infant children across the Black Country and Staffordshire.

Councils and schools will receive thousands of pounds of funding from the Government to ensure all children aged five to seven receive a hot meal each day. The scheme will be introduced to schools across the country this September.

The Government is investing £600 million in the nationwide scheme, which it says will save parents £437 a year.

Extra catering staff will be taken on in Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Dudley. Additional hours will also be offered to workers in Walsall and Staffordshire.

Eighty jobs are expected to be created in Sandwell under the plans. Councillor Simon Hackett, cabinet member for children's services, said: "We expect that jobs will be created by Sandwell Inspired Partnership Services who provide meals for our schools.

"The additional frontline kitchen staff are required because the take-up of meals under the new school free meals initiative is expected to be high."

In Dudley 59 catering staff will be recruited to provide more than 13,200 meals per day. The council says an additional 191 hours need to be covered to provide the free meals for pupils in reception, year one and year two.

A recruitment day is planned for next month to provide applicants with more information and advice.

And in Wolverhampton around 50 jobs are expected to be made available with final figures due to be announced after Easter.

In Walsall, council bosses said additional staff could be taken on in the future.

Councillor Rachel Andrew, portfolio holder for children's services with Walsall Council, said: "Capacity within each school is being assessed and any additional staff will be paid for through the additional demand.

"Walsall Catering Service is liaising with all schools within the contract and offering advice to headteachers on their requirements."

Entrust, which provides meals in Staffordshire, said additional work hours would be made available to existing staff.

A spokesman said: "We are currently in the planning stages and anticipate that, as a result of the Government's initiative to provide free school meals to infants, increased working hours will be available to existing staff."