Council to end in-house school meals service

Hampshire County Council said schools could arrange their own catering provision in the future

School meals provided by Hampshire County Council's in-house catering service are due to end.

The council said its provider, Education Catering, had "experienced significant financial pressure" in recent years.

Despite winning awards for the quality of its food, the council said rising food and staff costs were not covered by school funding.

It said schools could either arrange their own catering provision or the council could procure meals from an alternative supplier.

The authority's in-house catering service for schools has won recognition and awards for its meals, including a Food Foundation award for increasing the amount and variety of vegetables in children's meals.

The service, previously known as HC3S, was supplying many of Hampshire's 427 primary schools last year, as well as 17 secondary schools and 23 special schools.

The council, which faces a £132m predicted overall financial shortfall for 2025/26, said its catering service faced "operating at a loss".

“While we are exceptionally proud of all that our Education Catering service has achieved, the financial challenges we are facing mean that our priority must now be the provision of statutory services.

"With the considerable cost increases we are facing, which remain unmatched by an equivalent increase in the funding received directly by schools, we must regrettably consider closing this discretionary service."

It said it was consulting schools and nurseries about future catering options and the use of the "active, well-established private sector market".

The results of the consultation are due to be considered ahead of a decision by the council in November.