Moray SNP News

COUNCIL LEADER DEMANDS RETRACTION AND APOLOGY FROM MP ON SCHOOL MEALS

‘Vast majority of food for Moray’s school meals is sourced in Scotland’ - Cllr Graham Leadbitter

SNP Leader of Moray Council, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, has demanded a retraction of an ‘outrageously false claim’ by Moray MP Douglas Ross and Conservative Council Group Leader Tim Eagle, that Moray Council sourced just 16 percent of its food for school meals from Scotland.

The actual figures for Moray’s food sourcing for school meals is around 64 percent sourced in Scotland. 44 percent is sourced from suppliers in and around Moray including nearly quarter of a million pounds worth of locally sourced fresh meat in the year 2017/18.

In addition hard working Council Catering staff have produced a video with pupils from around Moray showing the local provenance of the food that is served.

Commenting SNP Council Leader Graham Leadbitter said:

“This outrageously false claim by the local MP and backed up by the Conservative Opposition Group Leader has absolutely no basis in reality.

“Instead of the 16 percent of Scottish sourced produce claimed by the Conservatives the reality in Moray is that Scottish produce is 4 times that amount at 64 percent with a spend of well over 600 thousand pounds per year out of a total of 1 million pounds spent on food. Of that, over 450 thousand pounds is spent with local firms from Forres, Elgin, Huntly and Nairn, all of whom are sourcing local produce from right here in Moray.

“Not only does this false claim by the Conservatives belittle the sterling work done by the Moray Council’s catering team it is also completely irresponsible and could discourage parents from using the excellent school meals service, which is providing well prepared,  nutritious and affordable local food for our primary and secondary pupils day in and day out.

“Both the MP and Cllr Eagle should retract their false statement and apologise to the catering team.

“The vast majority of food for Moray’s school meals is sourced in Scotland and much of that is from within Moray. It appears that unlike the local and very well baked produce sourced by Moray Council’s catering team the Conservatives’ research on this is completely half-baked.”

The video produced by Moray Council staff and pupils can be found here: https://youtu.be/C5IHjlVJgBU