A SURVEY should be conducted to see if pupils and parents approve of a new school meals service a year after it was introduced, said a Liberal Democrat county councillor.

Carillion Plc took over the school meals service in July but the move to outsource the provision was opposed by LibDem group on the council.

Now Summertown and Wolvercote councillor Jean Fooks wants a survey conducted by the council in July 2013 to review the service.

She said: “We thought the inhouse service Food With Thought was doing a good job – they were making a profit and ploughing it back into the service. In July we need reaction both from the schools, parents and children to see if they feel it’s just as good or better or worse.”

The call came as thousands of children across Oxfordshire this week tucked into free lunches as part of an initiative to get more pupils to take school dinners.

Carillion offered all reception children at the 173 schools that use the service free two-course lunches every day this week.

About 12,000 primary school children regularly eat school lunches across the county.

It is hoped up to 2,000 extra children will enjoy the free meals – tolaunch a new menu – with the £40,000 cost covered by the contractor.

Among those sampling the new menu were youngsters at Cutteslowe Primary School in North Oxford.

Foundation stage coordinator Sarah Pugh said: “We think this is an excellent initiative to encourage young children to have a hot meal at midday. There are so many benefits in terms of providing energy for learning and for school.”

She said about half the 58 reception children took advantage of the offer, an increase of about 50 per cent.

Four-year-old Jadi Alkhulaisi, from Oxford, said: “I like school dinners. They are yummy.”

Melinda Tilley, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for education, said: “When we announced our partnership with Carillion earlier this year it was important that they didn’t just match the county council’s existing high standards but that they would strive to improve them.

“Since then, we have worked closely with their team of nutritionists to deliver a new choice of healthy, balanced meals.”

Michael Salter, partnership director at Carillion, said: “We have taken every care to ensure that the new menu meets Government nutritional guidelines and is appealing to young children.”