Decision details

Doncaster Council has been allocated £1,379,600 from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activity & Food Programme.

The £1,379,600 will be used to offer free holiday and food activity places to children and young people, who receive benefits-related free school meals. Of this, £138,000 has been allocated for the Easter period. However, any underspend will be rolled over in to the summer programme.
The following information has been shared with partners across Doncaster, asking for proposals to be submitted by 12.00 noon on Monday 22nd March 2021;

From the 29th March 2021 out-of-school settings and wraparound providers will be able to offer both outdoor and indoor provision to specified groups, including vulnerable children and children on benefits related free school meals, where they are attending as part of our holiday activities and food programme.

Doncaster Council wish to commission a partner(s) that can provide consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities for eligible children in the borough during the Easter 2021 holiday period. The aim of this Easter 2021 programme is to make free places available to children eligible for free school meals for the equivalent of at least 4 hours a day, 4 days a week for one week during the Easter 2021 holiday period.

The successful partner(s) will have flexibility about how they deliver this level of provision to best serve the needs of children and families in Doncaster. There will also be flexibility in how the programme can be delivered to older children. Partners must ensure that sufficient, adequate provision is available across the borough for children with SEND or additional needs. Partner(s) must follow all Government guidance in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, including the ‘protective measures for holiday and after-school clubs, and other out-of-school settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-andother-
out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/protective-measuresfor-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak) March 2021. The Easter 2021 holiday programme is targeted at children whose families receive benefits related free school meals [pupil premium & vulnerable children and young people]. It is expected that a chosen partner (working in
conjunction with schools) will undertake the necessary promotion to the eligible children and their families in order to maximise take up of the provision. We expect this will be undertaken using the ‘Edulog’ communication system.

To agree to fund activities during the Easter 2021 Schools Holidays of up to £138,000 from the Department for Education’s Holiday, Activity & Food Programme on a range of proposals as set out in box 3.

On Friday 19th March the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones and Overview and Scrutiny Consultee:
Councillor Jane Kidd, agreed to approve the RULE 16 DECISION: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES AND FOOD PROGRAMME.

As part of this Rule 16 decision, it was agreed; To delegate decisions around how to allocate the grant within its terms and conditions to the Assistant Director: Partnerships, Early Intervention & Localities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Schools.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
Not to take receive the Grant and to fund the Holiday Activity and Food Programme from existing Council budgets. This option was rejected as without the funding the programmes could not be delivered.