Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Director of Public Health submitted a report for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the report was to provide details in respect of the Holiday Activities Fund 2021 (e.g. the delivery requirements) and request that the Council accepted the grant on offer.

Over recent years, the Government had piloted a range of approaches to delivering school holiday activities with the aim of providing free healthy meals and fun activities to disadvantaged children. In November 2020, the Government announced that local authorities would be allocated a share of £220 million to expand the Holiday Activities Fund (HAF) programme in 2021, so that it was available for every child and young person eligible for free school meals (FSM).

The grant being made available to Middlesbrough Council was:

·        2020/21 FY = £105,340

·        2021/22 FY = £942,130

·        Total indicative allocation = £1,047,470

Broadly, the requirements of the HAF programme 2021 were to provide:

·        healthy (hot) meals to School Food Standards;

·        enrichment activities;

·        physical activity and nutrition education;

·        signposting and referrals to services and support that would benefit the children who attend their provision and their families (e.g. Housing Support Officers, Affordable Warmth Advisors);

·        inclusive and accessible provision;

·        at least 4 hours for 4 days a week - for 4 weeks in the summer, and for a week in Easter and Christmas; and

·        Ofsted registered providers where appropriate.

ORDERED

1.      That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Public Health to accept the Holiday Activities Fund 2021 grant.

2.      That the Director of Public Health in consultation with the Director of Education, Prevention and Partnership; Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and Executive Member for Communities and Education be granted delegated authority to sign off future implementation plans and allocate funding up to £150,000 per provider to deliver the Holiday Activities Fund programme.

REASON

Poverty was a significant issue in Middlesbrough, with 31.4% of children living in low income families. The school holidays posed additional stresses on those families. The provision of the HAF programme locally, alongside other holiday hunger and wider food poverty work, would alleviate some of those stresses and benefit the children most in need, particular in terms of holiday learning loss.