Decision details

Doncaster Council has been allocated £1,375,790 from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activity & Food Programme 2025-25.
The £1,375,790 will be used to offer free holiday and food activity places to children and young people, who receive benefits-related free school meals.

Doncaster Council must ensure that face to face holiday activities is available during the Easter, Summer, Winter school holiday periods. The successful partner(s) will have flexibility about how
they deliver the level of provision to best serve the needs of children and families in Doncaster, within the DFE guidelines and taking into account the flexibilities outlined below.

The 2024 holiday programme is targeted at children who receive benefits related free school meals and it is expected that commissioned partners (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. Partners must ensure that sufficient, adequate provision is available across the borough for children with SEND or additional needs.

To agree to fund activities during the Easter, Summer and Winter 2024 Schools Holidays from the Department for Education Holiday, Activity & Food Programme on a range of proposals as
set out in box 3.
As part of the budget setting arrangements, it was agreed to accept the Holiday Activity and Food Programme Grant. As part of this decisions around how to allocate the grant within its
terms and conditions were delegated to the Assistant Director: Partnerships, Early Intervention & Localities in consultation with the Portfolio Lead for Education, Skills and Young People.

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.