Purpose

The purpose of this report is to seek approval
from the Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding to:
 

Receive the Extended 2024/25 HSF
Funding (amounting to £3,692,483.14) that is being provided
by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) for allocation in the
period 1st October 2024 to 31st March 2025. 
Agree the distribution of this
funding in line with the grant conditions, operational funding
model and distribution processes, and the specific recommendations
outlined below.

 

Decision

In coming to this decision I have given due and full regard to the
requirements of the public sector equality duty contained in
section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (“the Act”) by
reference to the law itself and also the relevant Equality Impact
Assessment, which was prepared in accordance with the requirements
of the Act. Having fully considered all the available information,
I have decided to reject the alternative options and take the
recommended decision to:
 
1. Approve the allocation of the Extended
2024/25 HSF Funding (amounting to £3,692,482) as follows:
 

(a) 
£221,548 to the recruitment and remuneration of council staff
to provide administration and sustainability supports in relation
to the distribution of such funding to qualifying households during
the period 1st October 2024 to 31st March 2025 as well as meet
other necessary administration costs.
 
(b) £811,828 to the six District
Councils in Gloucestershire to be apportioned between them for the
purpose of them each providing their own localised schemes to
target the needs of the most vulnerable during the period 1st
October 2024 to 31st March 2025 (whilst complying with the grant
conditions set by the DWP for delivery of the Extended 2024/25 HSF
Funding i.e., to provide support with food, energy and water bills,
household items & other essential items).
 
(c) £150,000 to be allocated to the
council’s Holiday, Activities and Food (HAF) team to fund,
during the period 1st October 2024 to 31st March 2025,
administration costs incurred in providing food for vulnerable
children and young people who would not otherwise be eligible under
the criteria set under the national HAF programme as described in
the Holiday Activities and Food Officer Decision paper dated [Date
of Decision 12/02/2024]
 
 (d) £250,000
to be allocated to the charity known as Severn Wye Energy Agency
for the provision of energy related support including provision for
the Warm and Well Scheme to Gloucestershire residents to attend to
winter hardship and those in need following a referral by
Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC’s) HSF team
and/or any of the District Councils during the period 1st October
2024 to 31st March 2025.
 
 (e) £250,000
to be allocated to the charity known as Age UK Gloucestershire for
the provision of food, energy and advice related support attending
to winter hardship during the period 1st October 2024 to 31st March
2025.
 
(f) £13,132 to be allocated to Family
Action for the provision of community-based support to develop a
community café and clothing swap shop to support
families
 
(g) £73,315 to be allocated to Aspire
Foundation for the provision of community-based support to develop
a community café, clothing swap shop and winter household
essentials to support families
 
 (h) £60,000
to be allocated to part-funding the council’s contract with
BeebotAI for the supply of an
Intelligent Automation Solution for Family Hubs that was procured
in accordance with Executive Directors decision dated [Date of
Decision 22/10/2024] The balance of the contract value will be
funded via existing internal budgets and grant funding from the HAF
programme.
 
(i) £779,152
to be allocated to funding the supply and/or distribution of food
vouchers, fuel vouchers, white goods, and household emergency
support during the period 1st October 2024 to 31st March 2025 under
the call-off contract for which delegated authority is sought under
Recommendation 2 below.
 
 (j)
£1,083,505 to be allocated to provide food vouchers to those
eligible for free school meals during the school holidays under the
call-off contract for which delegated authority is sought under
Recommendation 2 below.
 
 
2. Delegate authority to the Executive
Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding to award a
call-off contract, under the council’s Welfare Support
Services Framework Agreement, to the sole appointed provider
thereunder, namely Auriga Services Limited, for the supply and/or
distribution of the following food vouchers, fuel vouchers, white
goods and household emergency support during the period 1st October
2024 to 31st March 2025:
 
 a) £779,152
in fuel vouchers, food vouchers, white goods, and household
emergency support in response to applications received from
residents of Gloucestershire for such vouchers, white goods, and
emergency support; and
 
b) £1,083,505 in food vouchers to
children and young people who are eligible to receive free school
meals, in order to provide holiday food
support during school holidays and provide directly targeted
support to low-income households. For the reasons set out in the
repor