Agenda item

Report of the Interim Chief Executive (Chief Partnerships Officer)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Interim Chief Executive (Chief Partnership Officer) which indicated that, following the success of the national Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF) during the financial year 2021/22, the Government has announced the extension of the programme to March 2025 The report sought approval to accept a grant allocation for 2023/24.

The programme will continue to target statutory school age pupils (reception to year 11 inclusive), who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals. Coventry has also included children with a social worker, children assessed (through an early help assessment) to be in financial hardship and children who are part of the Ukrainian Family Scheme in our eligible criteria. This means that approximately 14,500 Coventry children will be entitled to access free enrichment activities and healthy food during the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays of the 2023/24 financial year.

Coventry has been awarded an allocation of £1,553,530 for 2023/24. It is anticipated that the allocation for 2024/25 will be maintained at a similar level. The programme allows for 15% discretionary spend on children who are not within the category of benefits-related free school meals.

The grant determination letter states that all provision funded by the local authority through the HAF programme must meet the framework of standards and meet the following core aims and objectives:

•  Healthy meals: holiday clubs must provide at least one healthy meal a day which must meet the School Food Standards.

•  Enrichment activities: holiday clubs must provide fun and enriching activities that provide children with opportunities to develop or consolidate skills or knowledge. Clubs must also provide physical activities which meet the Physical Activity Guidelines on a daily basis.

•  Increasing understanding and awareness of healthy eating: holiday clubs must work to improve children’s knowledge and awareness of healthy eating.

•  Signposting and referrals: clubs must be able to provide information, signposting or referrals to other services and support that would benefit the children who attend their provision and their families. This can include advice on how to source, prepare and cook nutritious and low-cost food alongside increasing awareness of healthy eating.

•  Policies and procedures: clubs must be able to demonstrate and explain their safeguarding arrangements and have relevant and appropriate policies and procedures in place in relation to safeguarding, health and safety, insurance, accessibility and inclusiveness. Where appropriate, clubs must also be compliant with the Ofsted requirements for working with children.

Local Authorities are encouraged to work with a wide range of providers in the delivery of the programme, recognising the important role that community and voluntary organisations have played in its success so far. Attendance on the programme is voluntary.  Each eligible school-age child is entitled to access the provision for one week during the Easter and Christmas holiday period and four weeks during the summer.  One HAF week is defined as being a total of four, four hourly sessions per week. The report indicated that the Coventry can evidence the success and positive impact of its programme delivery during the 2022/23 financial year, as set out in Appendix 1: Summary of Coventry Holiday Activities and Food programme 2022 delivery.  The Coventry HAF Summer of Fun 2021 video shows how the grant conditions were met through both the wide range of activities delivered across the City summary, and the impact shown from a parent and child perspective.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Approves the acceptance of the Department for Education Holiday Activities and Food Programme grant allocation of up to £1,553,530 for the 2023/24 financial year.

2)  Delegates authority for decisions about the planning and delivery of the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, as well as acceptance of any future opportunities for additional in-year funding up to a total amount in the sum of £2.5 million pounds in 2023/24, to the Interim Chief Executive (Chief Partnerships Officer), following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, noting that the City Council will centrally co-ordinate and award monies to relevant organisations to deliver the programme to a high standard.