Content

RESOLVED:
To agree to the extension of the Early
Years Catering Service Contracts for a further 18 months (from 1st
February 2023 until 31st July 2024) to allow sufficient
time for the project for the Development of Children and Family
Hubs to be completed.
 
Reasons for Decision/Options Appraisal.
 
1. The Early Years catering service framework was procured
by Hackney
Education in 2016 to support Hackney’s
children’s centres. The catering
service complies with the School Food Trust recommendations
for food and
drink for under 5s, and the Government Buying Standards for
Food and
Catering which relate to sustainable food
procurement.
2. The original framework was in place for 4 years between
the 1st August 2016 and 31st July 2020. All 6 council-managed
centres used the framework, and each centre contracted individually
with the service provider under the framework’s call-off
terms. Two Children’s Centres accessing the Service
are
school-based. Please refer to 5.6 below for further
detail.
3. There have been two extensions authorised for the
provision of the services.
The second extension was provided to 31st January 2023 to
enable
alignment of commercial catering contracts and the
finalisation of the
Insourcing Review. There is currently a review ongoing in
relation to the
commercial catering contracts, in addition to the review of
children’s centres
and the development of Children and Family Hubs to provide
integrated
services for families with children 0 - 19. In addition, an
independent
commission into affordable childcare commenced in March
2023. As a result
Hackney Education is seeking approval for a further
extension to enable the
landscape of children's centres to be co-designed, and
agreed.
4. The further extension period of 18 months will enable
sufficient time for the
transformation of a number of children’s centres into
Children and Family
Hubs, and the future configuration of children’s
centre nurseries and their
service needs to be agreed.
5. The extension will mitigate the risk of a non contracted service provision
whilst the reviews are being finalised. The extension will
enable the Council
to work with the Centres and the Contractor to provide a
continuing good
service including support for staff and
families.
6. The extension will enable any findings, learnings and
strategies coming out
of the work being undertaken by the Free School Meal task
force to be
considered and built into the work with the
children’s centres.
7. Due to the whole life value of the contract being in
excess of £3,000,000, the
department is seeking approval to further extend the call
off contracts from
Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee. If extended,
this service will
continue to be paid for within the existing budget and no
additional funding
will be necessary. The cost of the meals is included within
the childcare fees.
The supplier is paid directly from each Children’s
Centres budget.
8. The Children’s Centres and Nursery Schools with
active call off contracts in
place with the contractor are listed below:
?
Ann Tayler Children's Centre (Council)
?
Clapton Park Children's Centre (Council)
?
Comberton Children's Centre
(Council)
?
Fernbank Children's Centre (Primary
School - Jubilee)
?
Hillside Children's Centre (Council)
?
Linden Children's Centre (Council)
?
Woodberry Down Children's Centre (Council)
?
Comet Nursery School (Maintained Nursery School)
 
Alternative Options (Considered and Rejected)
 
1. OPTION 1 - Do Nothing: The Council lets the call off
contracts expire on the
31st January 2023 and takes no further action – this
was considered and
rejected as the centres need to provide catering services
to the community to
meet their obligations to parents who pay for a service.
The Council has a declared commitment to support children and young
people, the Centres provide a hub for local families to meet,
engage and get support from a range of services.
2. OPTION 2 - Re-tender: The centres re-tender to renew the
contracts – this option was considered and rejected at this
moment in time. The option to
re-tender is to be done in line with the assessment and
outcome of the
Children and Family Hub review and any Insourcing
assessment.
3. OPTION 3 - Insourcing: - The Insourcing Review was not
completed as the Early Years review was ongoing and has now been
updated to feed into the
Children and Family Hubs review and the review of
affordable childcare. An
Insourcing option will form part of the review and
determination of any future
tender for Centre catering provision.