1. How did you distribute the COVID Winter Grant to vulnerable families, i.e. cash, food parcels or retail supermarket vouchers?
The Council distributed supermarket vouchers to families eligible for free school meals; though this was part of a far wider distribution of funding mostly through direct grants.
2. Did you use this grant to distribute financial support to families of children eligible for free school meals?
Yes
3. How many children were eligible for Free School Meals and how many children claimed financial support via the grant scheme?
This grew during the period of the grant as eligibility increased. It currently stands at around 16,800.
4. Did you use the grant to distribute support to other vulnerable families / individuals and if so, which groups, i.e. homeless etc.?
Yes. This was carried out through a range of assessment criteria set by District Councils; Citizen’s Advice Bureau; Food charities; Childrens Centres; Early Help Teams.
5. If using supermarket vouchers
(a) which supplier(s) did you use to distribute the vouchers?
Blackhawk.
(b) how did you choose a supplier?
Through a cut down procurement exercise.
(c) what were your top 3 mandatory requirements for the service?
Ability to deliver requirements at speed;
Ability to deliver requirements at scale;
Strong customer support including a web platform to ensure families could access the vouchers
(d) did you coordinate the ordering to all beneficiaries/recipients, or was access delegated to schools to administer and order?
Initially the Council co-ordinated in full; in subsequent holidays this was a blended approach using support from schools
(e) did you enter into a direct contract with the supplier or call off via a framework?
Direct
(f) when does your contract end?
December 2022
6. Following Government’s extension of the COVID Winter Grant, will you continue to fund Free School Meal vouchers in May half-term and summer holidays?
Yes, we have issued vouchers for the May Half term and will review for the summer holidays.
7. Which role(s) and job functions manage the contract for this service?
Communities and School Admissions teams