Club 365 - Review and Summer Proposal Report (2023)
North Lanarkshire Council · 22 June 2023
Back to Council — 22 June 2023 and its agenda
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North Lanarkshire Council Report North Lanarkshire Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref: GMcL / MD / TOH Date 22/06/23 Club 365 – Review and Summer Proposal Report (2023) From Gerard McLaughlin, Chief Officer (Education - North) E-mail mclaughling@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 01236 812269 Executive Summary In 2018 North Lanarkshire Council introduced a bespoke programme, Club 365, targeted at alleviating holiday hunger amongst school pupils. In recent years, and especially during the Covid pandemic, the Scottish Government concurrently then rolled out several initiatives which fully or partly contributed to the wider holiday hunger or cost of living pressures on families. Within North Lanarkshire, Club 365 has been managed and operated on a complementary basis to these national initiatives to ensure as many pupils / parents as possible benefit. In recent years the Scottish Government’s national ‘Summer Programme’ offer has been closely aligned to the Club 365 programme. However, there is now increasing uncertainty regarding the Scottish Government’s long term funding commitment to a national Summer Programme. This report provides a financial update on the current funding and potential operating models for activity delivered through Club 365 from 2023 onwards. It presents options for members as to how Club 365 might be delivered during this year given the current uncertainty and reduced funding envisaged, and indeed, future implications. Recommendations It is recommended that the Council: 1. Acknowledge the latest funding position for Club 365 and associated impacts. 2. Consider and agree the preferred option on which to now progress. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement (10) Engage with children, young people, parents, carers, and families to help all children and young people reach their full potential
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1. Background 1.1 The Service has an approved core budget of £1.090m to deliver Club 365 activity, established in the budget setting process for 2021/22. Until this point, the programme had previously operated under short term internal funding arrangements. 1.2 The Scottish Government rolled out a funded Summer Programme in 2021. In that year, North Lanarkshire received £1.104m from an overall quantum of £15m (Appendix 1). This funding supplemented the approved core budget to create an expanded delivery programme. 1.3 The Scottish Government refined the Summer Programme during 2022/23 with authorities directed to achieve more targeted outcomes. For 2022, the overall funding quantum was £10m with North Lanarkshire receiving £0.766m (Appendix 2). Similarly, this funding supplemented the core budget allocation with the overall programme designed, managed and implemented accordingly. 1.4 In the budget setting process for 2023/24, the Service was instructed to carry out a review of Club 365 to establish the efficacy of its current operating model and ascertain how best to deliver it in future. This was in part based on the wider future funding challenge faced by North Lanarkshire. In addition, as per previous years, there was an expectation that Scottish Government would provide an ongoing additional resource to all authorities for Club 365 type activity including summer programmes. This expectation was based on the Scottish Government’s explicit Ministerial commitment in 2022 to make holiday childcare provision available to all children from low-income families from 2023. 1.5 On Wednesday 7 June, the day prior to Policy and Strategy Committee, the Scottish Government confirmed initially that there would be no funding to local authorities for summer programmes. As a result, a paper reviewing Club 365 could not be agreed at Committee, with a request to bring a further report to Council of 22 June approved. Given the timelines involved and all related planning activity to date, it was agreed by Committee that the ASN component of the summer programme be protected. Officers were tasked to bring forward options for the utilisation of the remainder of core funding – on the understanding that without guarantee of a continuing funding stream from government, the programme would have to be realigned to the revised budget conditions. 1.6 Subsequently, on 14 June, the Scottish Government confirmed an amended award for summer programmes for 2023 with an overall national funding envelope of £4m. To date, there has been no formal grant letter confirming North Lanarkshire Council’s share of this anticipated funding, however if it was to be applied pro-rata to previous awards North Lanarkshire could expect to receive approximately £0.306m. 1.7 In the 2022/23 financial year, the Club 365 / Summer Programme had total resources of £1.856m represented by core Council funding of £1.090m and £0.766m direct grant. 1.8 A wide-ranging pupil support programme (Universal, Additional, Intensive) was rolled out during 2022/23 funded from within this total resource. 1.9 In the absence of comparable Scottish Government funding, combined with inflationary increases over the last year, the Council cannot deliver the level of programme originally envisaged.
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1.10 In the absence of a formal grant letter, and with the expectation that government funding will be substantially reduced, it is inevitable that any summer provision will be of a smaller scale than in previous years, especially as the increasing demand for the high value ASN offering may expand to October and Easter holiday periods. 1.11 At the inception of Club 365 there was no provision of free school meal payments for entitled pupils out with school terms. In 2020 the Scottish Government implemented payments to children eligible for free school meals outwith term time as a measure to address Covid impacts. The Scottish Government subsequently announced these payments would continue as a measure to combat holiday hunger. During the most recent holiday period, the number of children attending a mainstream hub for Club 365 declined, suggesting the holiday payments have had an impact on attendance. Parent/carers whose children qualify for free school meals will receive allowance for 32 days of the summer break amounting to £80 per pupil. This payment will be paid directly into bank accounts or by voucher. 2. Report 2.1 Holiday Hunger / Cost of Living support 2.1.1 The council has pooled and managed the resources available to it through the core Club 365 budget and Summer Programme grant to deliver a three-tiered support solution incorporating a Universal, Additional, and Intensive offer. 2.1.2 A package of complementary support solutions operated during the previous year and had been envisaged to continue, in some capacity, in line with available budgetary provision and subject to member approval. A summary of the previous three-tiered offer is highlighted below: Universal: Weekday holiday provision for primary aged pupils across 18 venues. At weekends there were eight hubs operating. The service has data on the uptake for provision – there is clearly a pattern of peaks and troughs, with the current weekend provision having particularly low uptake and general decline in attendance. Additional: The council previously ran as a pilot three ASN hubs across the north, central, and south localities over the summer period. This gave sessions of respite to families and structured support to young people by staff who could cater for their specific needs. This was developed in response to a particular need of parents of vulnerable children who engaged with senior officers in an ASN Parent Forum and requested that such provision be created. These were parents of children with significant need in our current ASN establishments. The demand for and success of this provision suggested a case for expansion. Intensive: Through the Virtual School there is tailored support offered to families experiencing chronic disadvantage, including barriers in relation to accessing social activities which nurture positive family relationships and enhance mental health and wellbeing.
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This has been coordinated through the Virtual School and supported by Active and Creative Communities and Social Work. 2.2 Programme Options For 2023/24 Onwards 2.2.1 In the absence of certainty over the level of funding and long-term commitment of the Scottish Government to the Summer Programme, a snapshot review of the delivery model has been carried out including activity previously supported through Club 365 and the Summer Programme. Options have been scoped on the basis that confirmation of Scottish Government funding, albeit substantially reduced from previous levels, will be received for 2023/24. This equates to a forecast total budget for 2023/24 of £1.396m aggregated from £1.090m core funding and £0.306m Scottish Government grant. Option 1: 18 mainstream Hubs providing full week summer holiday provision during summer 2023. In addition, 6 ASN Hubs would offer access for ASN pupils. This option as envisaged would utilise the bulk of the available budget of £1.396m (dependent upon demand). Option 2: A reduction in mainstream Hubs from 18 to 12. In addition, 6 ASN Hubs would offer access for ASN pupils. Should this option be accepted, provision of the 12 mainstream hubs will be determined based on historical usage while maintaining geographical distribution. This will result in an undetermined funding balance (dependent upon demand) which may allow for some form of additional programme, albeit significantly diluted in comparison to previous years. Options for the utilisation for any remaining balance during 2023/24 would be presented to the Policy and Strategy Committee for consideration in due course. 2.3 Next Steps 2.3.1 Analysis of the chosen option and all outcomes arising will be carried out after the summer with further reports to the Policy and Strategy Committee in due course. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Attendance and participation of children and young people in this targeted provision. 3.2 Successful partnership working to support children and young people. 3.3. Future evaluation of the programme 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1
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Additional Funding – Summer Activities for children and young people 2021 (£15m) 4.2 Appendix 2 Additional Funding – Targeted holiday provision for primary school children in summer 2022 (£10m) Gerard McLaughlin Chief Officer (Education - North)
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.1.1 The implementation of the findings of the options appraisal presented to Committee January 2020 will support children and families most affected by poverty and help to mitigate the impact of the welfare reform changes within North Lanarkshire. This will meet the requirements of the Fairer Scotland Duty by reducing inequalities caused by socioeconomic disadvantage. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☒ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? The Club 365 programme has an existing core budget of £1.090m for 2023/24. It is anticipated the Service will also receive an allocation of in-year Scottish Government Summer Programme grant funding of approximately £0.306m during 2023/24. The Scottish Government’s long term commitment to Summer Programme funding is uncertain with the overall grant allocation reducing each year from £15m in 2021, to £10m in 2022 with a further reduction to £4m in 2023. The funding/costs linked to the 2023/24 approved programme will continue to be tracked via the budget monitoring process. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic?
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Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8.1 Corporate Communications are represented on the Club 365 strategic planning group and support promotional activity related the Club 365 programme. 5.8.2 Communication and promotional activity prior to all delivery periods included: • Direct SMS messaging to parents and carers of target pupils. (10K+ contacts sent. • Social media advertising. • Email contact with to Councils distribution list. • Local press. • ASN parent Council meetings 5.8.3 To support Summer 2023 delivery in addition to existing communication activity significant focus will be placed upon engagement with key stakeholders. Key influencers within Education, Community Learning & Development and Social Work will be asked to support communication activities.
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5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? 5.9.1 A programme risk register is maintained and monitored by the project team. The Councils Safety and Wellbeing team are represented at strategic planning meetings and support risk assessments at Club 365 sites. 5.9.2 Previously, external grant funding has allowed the service to grow the enhanced additional offer (ASN) from Summer 2022, with attendance and application requests demonstrating demand for this provision. The service will need to explore funding options to continue this delivery if grant monies are not available. 5.9.3 Delivery of the enhanced additional offer and capacity at hubs is driven by staff with experience and training within ASN. Whilst hubs within this offer have been supported by a range of internal and external teams, the service will continue to explore options to ensure staffing capacity exists to maintain and grow any future delivery in this area. High level Risk Matrix Identified Risk Inheren t Risk Planned Actions Residu al Risk • Timescale for implementation • Early engagement with internal and external partners with extensive delivery experience. • Procurement, engage with contracted partners for the programme. • CMT approval and support, stakeholder voice in design. • Committee Approval • Communications strategy should enable key messages around statutory consultations. • Service not meeting the members expectations. • Review on a timeously manner to identify risks. • Financial viability • Strategic model for programme delivery built on continuation of SG Summer Activity Funding. • Communication • Stakeholders awareness of opportunities • HR Staff • Fewer staff availability and in substantive posts. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)?
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Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services. 5.11 Children’s rights and wellbeing impact Does the report contain any information regarding any council activity, service delivery, policy, or plan that has an impact on children and young people up to the age of 18, or on a specific group of these? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact and the provision that has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the relevant Articles from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The council previously recognised there was a need to provide additional holiday hunger support to young people and this was achieved through the Club 365 programme. In addition in recent years the Scottish Government has also introduced a number of initiatives to help alleviate holiday hunger. This report outlines options for continuing the council’s holiday hunger programme within the updated funding envelope which is available. If Yes, has a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) been carried out? Yes ☒ No ☐
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APPENDIX 1 Children and Families Directorate Michael Chalmers, Director T: 0131-244 4613 F: 0131-244 1475 E: directorforchildrenandfamilies@gov.scot αβχδ LA Chief Executives Directors of Finance Directors of Education Cc Matthew Sweeney, COSLA Jill Laspa, COSLA Childrens’ Services Planning Partnerships Strategic Leads 30th April 2021 ADDITIONAL FUNDING – SUMMER OF ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Dear Colleagues, I am writing in relation to the £20 million commitment announced by the Deputy First Minister and First Minister on 23 March for provision of activities to improve the wellbeing of children and young people during the 2021 summer holidays. COSLA Leaders have today considered a proposal for funding to enhance local delivery and have approved the allocation of £15 million to local authorities for this work. This letter sets out the policy intent and local allocation of the funding. Guidance to support delivery is also being shared and will be published on the Scottish Government website in due course. The overall £20 million summer holidays proposal includes: • A Targeted Summer Offer - £15 million is being made available to local authorities to deliver enhanced holiday activities and experiences, integrating food and wider family support where needed, and targeted at low income families, children and young people particularly adversely affected by the impacts of the pandemic. • A National Summer Offer - £5 million is being invested directly in national partners to enhance opportunities for all children and young people to participate in activities and experiences this summer. The priority across this investment is to improve the wellbeing of children and young people, providing opportunities for them to socialise and reconnect with peers during the summer through delivery of a range of activities, with food and family support integrated where needed within local communities.
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A flexible funding allocation of £15 million is being made available to local authorities to deliver targeted work alongside other local partners, backed up by Scottish Government guidance and principles for delivery. It is recognised that many local authorities and other local partners deliver holiday programmes currently and that plans may be underway for this summer. The aim of this investment is to enhance and expand any such existing work, building on and learning from existing good practice while providing scope to innovate locally in response to what children and young people tell you would help. Further details on the guiding principles and priorities for this funding, including target groups as well as details on reporting requirements, are outlined in the accompanying Guidance. £15 million funding will be allocated to local authorities through General Revenue Grant in March 2022. The breakdown of this funding by local authority is provided at Annex A. We ask that each local authority identify a local lead as the main point of contact for this funding and to share their name and contact details with the Scottish Government team at summer2021@gov.scot. Any questions related to this funding should be directed to the Scottish Government team at the above email address. We are grateful to local authorities and partners for their continued efforts in supporting the wellbeing of children and families. Yours sincerely, Michael Chalmers Director for Children and Families
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Annex A Funding for Summer of Activities for Children and Young People (£15 million) Local Authority Allocation Aberdeen City £ 418,000 Aberdeenshire £ 562,000 Angus £ 335,000 Argyll & Bute £ 232,000 Clackmannanshire £ 162,000 Dumfries & Galloway £ 529,000 Dundee City £ 432,000 East Ayrshire £ 405,000 East Dunbartonshire £ 184,000 East Lothian £ 277,000 East Renfrewshire £ 187,000 Edinburgh, City of £ 846,000 Eilean Siar £ 78,000 Falkirk £ 443,000 Fife £ 1,160,000 Glasgow City £ 2,249,000 Highland £ 721,000 Inverclyde £ 201,000 Midlothian £ 252,000 Moray £ 256,000 North Ayrshire £ 452,000 North Lanarkshire £ 1,104,000 Orkney Islands £ 68,000 Perth & Kinross £ 397,000 Renfrewshire £ 436,000 Scottish Borders £ 353,000 Shetland Islands £ 53,000 South Ayrshire £ 295,000 South Lanarkshire £ 882,000 Stirling £ 213,000 West Dunbartonshire £ 276,000 West Lothian £ 541,000
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Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ Appendix 2 Early Learning and Childcare Directorate Alison Cumming, Director E: alison.cumming@gov.scot 12th April 2022 ADDITIONAL FUNDING – TARGETED HOLIDAY PROVISION FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN SUMMER 2022 Dear Colleagues, I am writing in relation to the £10 million in additional funding committed in the December Budget for the targeted provision of accessible activities, childcare and food for primary school children from low income families during the 2022 school summer holidays. On 25 March COSLA Leaders considered a proposal for funding to enhance existing local delivery and have approved a flexible funding allocation of that £10 million to local authorities. This will be allocated through General Revenue Grant as a redetermination in March 2023. The breakdown of this funding by local authority is provided at Annex A. We have engaged closely with CoSLA officers on the development of these proposals, and agreed that Local Authorities across Scotland should use this funding to augment existing holiday provision within their area or, where there is little existing provision, to support the establishment of new services. We recognise that many local authorities and other local partners deliver holiday programmes currently and that plans may already be underway for this summer. The aim of this investment is to enhance and expand existing work, building on and learning from existing good practice while providing scope to innovate locally in response to what children and their families say would benefit them most. Building on this insight, the expectation is that within each local authority area there will be a mix of holiday provision making best use of existing cross-sectoral capacity, including both regulated childcare and organised children’s activities services. Services will vary across and within authorities. However, in line with the Scottish Government’s mission to tackle child poverty I would be grateful if local authorities could focus on areas with higher SIMD ratings and support access for the six priority groups highlighted in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan. The priority for investment remains to support children and families from low income households to access acitivities, childcare and food during the summer holiday period, recognising the opportunity that these services offer to improve the wellbeing of children, as well as providing opportunities to support families with their childcare needs. Coordinated provision of holiday childcare and activities should be integrated with food and whole family support, where appropriate, to support households that are particularly adversely impacted by poverty. Transforming the system of school age childcare and expanding provision of meals to include the school holidays are key ministerial priorities set out in the Programme for www.gov.scot
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Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ Government and Covid Recovery Strategy. It is expected that the learning from this summer’s holiday programme will contribute to designing a system of year-round school age childcare and food provision over the course of this parliament. To that end, evaluation will be collaborative, ensuring that key learning is appropriately evidenced and effectively shared, helping all partners develop future holiday programmes that meet the needs of low- income families. Further details on the priorities for this funding, including target groups and principles for delivery, are outlined in the accompanying guidance. This is being shared alongside a FAQ and driver diagram setting out the strategic intent for this policy. We will also provide further information about our approach to evaluation soon. I am hugely grateful to local authorities and partners for their continued efforts in supporting the wellbeing of children and families, particularly the most disadvantaged. Please share this information with your dedicated Local Authority leads and if you have any further questions related to this funding you can reach the Scottish Government team at holidayfoodandchildcare@gov.scot Yours sincerely, ALISON CUMMING Director, Early Learning & Childcare www.gov.scot
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Annex A Funding for 2022 Summer Holiday Provision (£10 million) Local Authority Allocation Aberdeen City £279,262 Aberdeenshire £355,229 Angus £211,328 Argyll and Bute £134,711 City of Edinburgh £575,459 Clackmannanshire £109,837 Dumfries and Galloway £329,037 Dundee City £293,671 East Ayrshire £278,454 East Dunbartonshire £105,186 East Lothian £161,537 East Renfrewshire £118,349 Falkirk £286,300 Fife £740,209 Glasgow City £1,665,024 Highland £465,403 Inverclyde £131,096 Midlothian £161,643 Moray £173,447 Na h-Eileanan Siar £45,906 North Ayrshire £323,894 North Lanarkshire £765,665 Orkney Islands £40,589 Perth and Kinross £242,363 Renfrewshire £292,415 Scottish Borders £208,377 Shetland Islands £49,195 South Ayrshire £189,380 South Lanarkshire £576,816 Stirling £138,819 West Dunbartonshire £197,643 West Lothian £353,756 Total £10,000,000 www.gov.scot
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Primary Hubs Locality Delivery Partner Abronhill Primary School Cumbernauld Active Schools Berryhill Primary School Wishaw Active & Creative Communities Braidhurst High School Motherwell Active Schools Brannock High School Motherwell Active Schools Carbrain Primary School Cumbernauld Active Schools Chryston High School Chryston Active & Creative Communities Fir Park Stadium Motherwell Third Sector Getting Better Together/Shotts leisure centre Shotts Third Sector Kilsyth Primary School Kilsyth Active & Creative Communities Made4U in ML2 Wishaw Third Sector Old Monkland Primary School Coatbridge Active Schools Orchard Primary School Wishaw Active & Creative Communities Sacred Heart Primary School Bellshill Active Schools St Augustine's Primary School Coatbridge Active & Creative Communities St Bernadette's Primary School Motherwell Active & Creative Communities St Dominic's Primary School Airdrie Active Schools St John Paul II Primary School Viewpark Active & Creative Communities St Marys Primary School Airdrie Active Schools Total