SCHOOL dinners are back this week for thousands of local pupils.

Most primary schools closed their kitchens long ago, so these meals will arrive by van.

What’s more, the tight timetable means 12 Bournemouth schools will start the year serving sandwiches, while in Poole, the council is having to find £476,000 towards the initiative.

And at a time of severe spending cuts, it is surprising that this benefit is being rolled out even to the well-off.

We may come to be grateful for Nick Clegg’s pet policy, but some aspects of it are looking distinctly half-baked.