Decision details

Considered - Report of the Corporate Director for Children & Young People’s Service seeking approval for the final deployment of the Covid Winter Grant allocation to support vulnerable households and families with children affected by the pandemic.

County Councillor Janet Sanderson introduced the report confirming that the Council received an ring-fenced funding from the Government to support vulnerable households with children over the holiday period.  She confirmed that a local eligibility framework had been introduced to grant payments to schools and academies, early years providers and post-16 schools and colleges, enabling allocations based on free school meal or pupil premium data.  She also noted that the initial round of payments were distributed in time for Christmas.

Stuart Carlton, Corporate Director for Children and Young People Services drew Members’ attention to the proposal to provide supermarket vouchers at £15 per week to cover the two weeks at Easter holiday period, and confirmed that the Government had very recently announced some further funding would now be made available to cover that period up to 16 April 2021.   With this in mind, he requested two additional recommendations be considered i.e.:

(iii) Approve an allocation equivalent to a further £20 one-off funding for other household essentials but with schools being granted further flexibilities should they believe local circumstances warrant such flexibility

(iv) To delegate to the Corporate Director for Children and Young People’s Services, in consultation with the appropriate Executive Member, the ability to administer the scheme and exercise his discretion in granting additional flexibilities

County Councillor Gareth Dadd welcomed the proposal to allow schools the flexibility to respond to their local circumstances, recognising they were best placed to identify those most in need of further support.

All Executive Members voted in favour of the revised recommendations, and it was

Resolved - That:

i)     The deployment of funding to schools, academies, colleges and early years’ providers to provide supermarket vouchers totalling £15 per week for 2 weeks prior to the start of the Easter break be approved.

ii)    The allocation of supermarket vouchers totalling £15 per week for 2 weeks for eligible care leavers prior to the start of the Easter break be approved.

(iii) An allocation equivalent to a further £20 one-off funding for other household essentials be approved, but with schools being granted further flexibilities should they believe local circumstances warrant such flexibility

(iv) The ability to administer the scheme and exercise discretion in granting additional flexibilities be delegated to the Corporate Director for Children and Young People’s Services, in consultation with the appropriate Executive Member.