Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Read

Commissioner:         Kenny (in advisory role)

Recommendations:

1.    That, pursuant to Standing Order 46 (contracts not requiring tendering  / value below £50,000) on the grounds that the conditions in Standing Order 47 are met, a contract be awarded in the value of £30,000 for 2017/18 to FareShare Yorkshire Limited for the provision of ambient food to Rotherham Community Food Members, on the same terms as the current contract.

2.    That, pursuant to Standing Order 38 (Exemptions), Standing Order 48 (contracts valued at £50,000 or more) be waived with regard to the provision of crisis loans to be administered by LASER Credit Union for the financial year ended 31st March 2018, and that a contract be awarded in the value of £60,000 on the same terms as the current service level agreement and same eligibility criteria for access to loans.

3.    That further work be undertaken to regularise the referral pathways for crisis loans, ensuring that people meet the eligibility criteria before referral to LASER Credit Union.

4.    That £10,000 be awarded to Voluntary Action Rotherham for support and co-ordination of the wider Food in Crisis Partnership to enable partnership work across crisis food provision, including the continuation of small grant awards.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how the Local Welfare Provision (LWP) commenced in April 2013, following the end of community care grants and crisis loans under the Discretionary Social Fund.

The Government provided funding in the first two years (2013/14 and 14/15), but since then resources have been provided on an annual basis from recycled and unspent local welfare funding.

The current provision by the Council included:-

·             Crisis loans administered by LASER Credit Union at zero interest;

·             Provision of food by FareShare Yorkshire to local Community Food Members; and

·             Support for the “Food in Crisis Partnership” of local providers, including provision of small grants.

This report, therefore, provided recommendations for ongoing support in 2017/18. These included requested exemptions from Standing Orders for the letting of contracts, following soft market testing demonstrating that there was no competitive market for the provision of these services.

The award of these contracts would be subject to the proposed 2017/18 budget being approved by Council on 8^th March, 2017.

Resolved:-  (1)  That, pursuant to Standing Order 46 (contracts not requiring tendering/value below £50,000) on the grounds that the conditions in Standing Order 47 were met, a contract be awarded in the value of £30,000 for 2017/18 to FareShare Yorkshire Limited for the provision of ambient food to Rotherham Community Food Members, on the same terms as the current contract.

(2)  That, pursuant to Standing Order 38 (Exemptions), Standing Order 48 (contracts valued at £50,000 or more) be waived with regard to the provision of crisis loans to be administered by LASER Credit Union for the financial year ended 31st March, 2018, and that a contract be awarded in the value of £60,000 on the same terms as the current service level agreement and same eligibility criteria for access to loans.

(3)  That further work be undertaken to regularise the referral pathways for crisis loans, ensuring that people meet the eligibility criteria before referral to LASER Credit Union.

(4)  That £10,000 be awarded to Voluntary Action Rotherham for support and co-ordination of the wider Food in Crisis Partnership to enable partnership work across crisis food provision, including the continuation of small grant awards.