FarNorth
"delegated decisions to local staff" - what does that mean?
Catering staff who have supplies for (seemingly useless) school meals, being expected to use those for 'lunch packs' instead?
That's what it looks like.
Schools themselves are responsible for providing meals. Many schools, especially small primary schools, outsourced the provision to companies such as Chartwells, especially after all infants were given free school meals.
Companies such as Chartwells employ staff at a local level. There are undoubtedly company guidelines as to what should go in these "boxes", just as there are for all school meals. However, it's the people at local level who make the ultimate decisions.
Catering staff couldn't use the same ingredients they use for cooked meals because they have been told to supply ingredients which require minimum cold storage because some people don't have a fridge or freezer.
They're not allowed to provide take away cooked meals for health and safety reasons.