Glasgow's move to create significant player in catering market on track

Plans to create a significant new player in the contract catering market in Scotland have taken another step closer to becoming reality.

On Tuesday (21 October), officials at Glasgow City Council voted in favour of converting Glasgow's Direct and Care Services into a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP).

Direct and Care Services currently has an annual turnover of £154m and 9,000 employees operating in the cost and profit catering sectors, providing school meals to event catering and banqueting.

The council is considering setting the business up as an LLP, which would see the new entity operating at arms length from local government with far more commercial freedom.

At present, council caterers are restricted in the amount of business outside their local authority remit they can bid for but this is not the case for an LLP.

Architects of the scheme say a switch to LLP status will provide operational and commercial freedom, new business opportunities and through flexible working improved productivity.

Having passed the council's development and scrutiny committee the proposals now go for a final vote at the council's executive on 31 October.

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By Chris Druce

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