Decision details

That the Covid Winter Grant Scheme local eligibility framework and approach including the disbursement of grant payments and administration fees to schools, colleges, academies and early years’ providers is approved. In addition, the disbursement of vouchers to eligible care leavers is approved. Payment will initially be made for the two-week non-term time Christmas period.

The Chief Executive delegates authority to the Corporate Director –Children & Young People’s Service in consultation with the Assistant Director – Strategic Resources to make reasonable changes to the local eligibility framework and approach following evaluation of the scheme in January 2021.

*PLEASE NOTE This decision was originally published on or near the date of the decision and so call in no longer applies. It has been re-published as part of the change in committee management system that we use.*

The Government have established a £170m Covid Winter Grant Scheme to support children, families and the most vulnerable over winter (covers November 2020 - March 2021; effectively 2 weeks at Christmas, 1 week at February half-term and 3 days at Easter). The funding will be ring-fenced, with at least 80% earmarked to support with food and bills, and will cover the period to the end of March 2021.

North Yorkshire’s allocation is £1.43m. Local Authorities will receive the funding at the beginning of December 2020.

Under his delegated decision making powers in the Officers’ Delegation Scheme in the Council’s Constitution, the Chief Executive Officer has power, in cases of emergency, to take any decision which could be taken by the Council, the Executive or a committee.

The Chairmen of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees and the Chairman of the Council have given their respective consents to emergency decisions by the Chief Executive Officer in response to the Covid-19 pandemic being treated under the Special Urgency Procedure and being exempt from call in where timescales do not permit observance of the usual access to information timescales. Such consents were published in the blanket exemptions’ notice dated 27 April 2020.

This matter was treated under that blanket consent notice due to the urgency in confirming arrangements for the Christmas/New Year period for families experiencing financial hardship across the County.