Opposition councillors in Benevento say the city's school canteen service risks being unable to accept all applications, only a week after assurances that coverage was guaranteed.
According to reports from NTR24 and L'Eco del Sannio, the administration has indicated that it could add a maximum of 100 additional meals. If requests exceed available places, applications would be assessed using criteria including disability, ISEE income level, and whether both parents work.
The opposition describes that prospect as a lottery among families. The councillors argue that an increase in requests was predictable after enrolment closed, particularly following the ban on packed meals brought from home.
They link the current pressure to the spending and capacity limits of the catering contract and to problems at the Ceppaloni cooking center.
The opposition has therefore requested an urgent meeting of the council Education Commission, with the participation of delegated councillor Marcello Palladino and municipal director Antonella Moretti. The request covers the service's effective capacity, possible solutions to guarantee places for all applicants, and documentation concerning the Ceppaloni facility.
The councillors have also asked for records from the contracted catering company and from the ASL of Benevento on work carried out at the cooking center.
Official figures on total enrolments, overall capacity, and any actual shortfall in meals were not available in the reports acquired, nor was a direct response from the Municipality to the opposition's claims. It is also not clear from the available material whether the proposed priority criteria have been formally approved or remain an administrative communication.
