North Yorkshire Council

31^st October 2023

Schools Online Payments Framework

Report of the Assistant Director Madi Hoskin.

1.0       PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1 The purpose of the report is to seek approval via the assistant director of technology to re-procure a framework agreement for the purpose of a school’s online payments system.

2.0       SUMMARY (Include if report is more than, say, three pages)

2.1       N/A

3.0       BACKGROUND

3.1       Schools Online Payment Systems provide parents with the ability to disburse funds for their child or children directly to the school in order to purchase school meals, trips, uniform and other additional items. The systems allow the risks associated with a child carrying cash into a school environment to be removed and provide parents with a central system to manage their finance. At present North Yorkshire Education Service (NYES) utilise and manage a NYC multi supplier framework for Schools Online Payments Systems. The framework has two lots, one which provides the systems and service via the NYES, an accredited service provide and lot two which provides the systems and service directly via the supplier. The framework is due to expire on the 31^st March 2024.

4.0       [DETAILED PRESENTATION OF THE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE] (MANDATORY)

4.1      

5.0       CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN AND RESPONSES

5.1       N/A

6.0       CONTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES

6.1       N/A

7.0       ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

7.1       The alternative option is to not re-procure the service and for the current agreement to expire on 31^st March 2024.

8.0       IMPACT ON OTHER SERVICES/ORGANISATIONS

8.1       If the framework agreement or other style of contract was not re-procured North Yorkshire schools would be required to find an alternative method of obtaining an online payments system or to change their internal policies to ensure children can bring cash into school premises.

9.0       FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

9.1       The current agreement includes a rebate which provides an income for NYC services, a rebate is proposed to be included in any future agreements.

10.0     LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

10.1     This is a compliant route to market and complies with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

11.0     EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

11.1     All public sector ran schools will be able to use the agreement and as the system is online will not be excluded due to geography.

12.0     CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

12.1     As the service is for a cashless system any current additional paperwork associated with school payments will be removed.

13.0     PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

13.1     N/A

14.0     POLICY IMPLICATIONS

14.1     N/A

15.0     RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

15.1     N/A

16.0     HUMAN RESOURCES IMPLICATIONS

16.1     N/A

17.0     ICT IMPLICATIONS

17.1     No additional hardware is required for this agreement and the agreement seeks the service of a payments system only.

18.0     COMMUNITY SAFETY IMPLICATIONS

18.1     N/A

19.0 CONCLUSIONS

19.1     N/A

20.0     REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

20.1     The Authority will no longer have a compliant Schools Online Payments System from 31^st       March 2024.

21.0	RECOMMENDATION(S)
	i)  The Authority compliantly re-procures a multi-supplier framework agreement for schools online payments system.

            APPENDICES:

N/A

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

N/A

Madi Hoskin

Assistant Director – Technology

County Hall

Northallerton

16^th October 2023

Report Author – Kate Chapman – Category Procurement Officer

Presenter of Report – Kate Chapman – Category Procurement Officer

Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT IF ANY REPORTS / APPENDICES INCLUDE SIGNATURES THESE MUST BE REMOVED / DELETED PRIOR TO SENDING REPORTS / APPENDICES TO DEMOCRATIC SERVICES.  Appendices should include an Equality Impact Assessment and a Climate Impact Assessment where appropriate