Decision details

COVID Winter Grants Fund Free School Meal Provision

Reference: D52534

Decision Maker: Director of Children and Families

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

The Department for Work and Pensions have launched a COVID Winter Grants Scheme, in which funding has been allocated to local authorities across England to provide food and fuel support to vulnerable families and individuals between the beginning of December and end of March. 

A decision is required to confirm the allocation of this funding- this is needed urgently in order to provide sufficient time for schemes to be established before Christmas.

This key decision is to accept £1.6 million of this funding, which is proposed to be allocated to Children & Families, for them to distribute to schools who want to run their own scheme, and to Catering Leeds and Asda to administer a scheme for schools who do not want to run their own scheme. 

Decision:

The Department for Work and Pensions have launched a COVID Winter Grants Scheme, in which funding has been allocated to local authorities across England to provide food and fuel support to vulnerable families and individuals between the beginning of December and end of March.

This funding was first announced on the 6th November, and final guidance was received from the DWP on the 24th November, 2020.

The funding asks for provision to be put in place for Christmas, and therefore funding needs to be allocated as soon as possible to enable this to happen.

Funding can be provided to third party organisations such as charities and schools.

The Director of Children & Families agreed to accept £1.6 million of this funding, which will be allocated to Children & Families, for them to distribute to schools who want to run their own scheme, and to Catering Leeds and Asda to administer a scheme for schools who do not want to run their own scheme. 

Reason Key: Financial Impact>£500K;

Wards Affected: (All Wards);

If the decision has not been published in the List of Forthcoming Key Decisions for at least 28 clear days, the reason why it would be impracticable to delay the decision:: The funding is one-off COVID related funding, coming into the LA on the 30th November from the Department for Work and Pensions. Final guidance on this scheme from the DWP was received on the 24.11.2020, so we were unable to finalise any plans until after this date. Once the funding is received, it then needs to be distributed to the various schemes urgently for provision to be in place by Christmas. The data on which children need to receive food provision needs to have been confirmed by the schools by the 4th December, so the request needs to go out to them no later than the 2nd December 2020.

If exempt from Call-In, the reason why Call-In would prejudice the interests of the Council or the public:: This decision is exempt from call in because a decision needs to be taken urgently. If this decision is delayed, then provision will not be in place by the Christmas holidays due to the lead in time for ordering food. This will significantly impact on children and families, who will then not be able to access FSM provision over the holidays. The lead in time has been very short due to the late announcement of the scheme, the urgency due to COVID, and the sign off from DWP only been provided on the 24th November.

Portfolio Holder: The Executive Member for Learning, Skills & Employment and the Executive Member for Children & Families

Consultees

Primary Headteachers, Executive Members, Catering Leeds, Chief Officers

Contact: Amelia Gunn, Service Improvement Officer 0113 3783597 Email: Amelia.Gunn@Leeds.gov.uk.

Publication date: 02/12/2020

Date of decision: 02/12/2020

Accompanying Documents: