Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: For Determination

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: November 18, 2025

Purpose: The report requests that the Council accepts of the annual grant from DfE for the delivery of the HAF programme for the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays in 2026 and approves the procurement approach as defined in the report.   The funding Newham receives to deliver the HAF programme in enables the Council to work with key partners from the voluntary, community and faith sector, to provide thousands of Newham’s children and young people with healthy and nutritious meals in a safe and supportive environment where they could also learn, have fun, socialise and stay active during the school holidays.??    School holidays can be a particularly difficult time for some families because of reduced income or increased cost of living relating specifically to food and childcare. For some children this can lead to holiday hunger and a holiday experience gap, with children from these families more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health. These children are also less likely to access organised out-of-school activities and more likely to experience social isolation. Also, research shows that during the school holidays, children’s learning is not only at risk of stagnating but regressing, and this decline is more pronounced in children from low-income families. Additionally, due to a lack of affordable childcare during the school holidays, parents’ / carers’ efforts to pursue or maintain employment in this period are made increasingly difficult, which further hinders attempts to move out of poverty.??   

Content: For the reasons set out in this report and its appendices, Cabinet RESOLVED to Agree:   i)  The acceptance of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) grant for the 2026/27 financial year from the DfE (anticipated to be received by December 2025) expected to total between £1.8 million and £2.2million to deliver the Newham HAF programme for the Easter, Summer and Christmas holiday period for eligible children and young people. ii)  To note that the DfE will be granting Newham further HAF funding in financial years 2027/28 and 2028/29, expected to be between £1.8 million and £2.2million annually, to deliver the Newham HAF programme across the Easter, Summer and Christmas holiday periods. iii)  To note that a further report will be presented to Cabinet to confirm the total HAF grant received from the DfE for financial year 2026/27. iv)  In accordance with sections 1.9 and 1.10 above, to approve a review of the HAF delivery approach in the 2026/27 financial year, including mechanisms used by the Council with contracting partners to deliver the HAF provision so that outcomes of the programme lead to a year-on-year increase in those eligible children and young people accessing the HAF provision; and to receive a review report no later than March 2026 for approval so that processes can be amended in time for HAF delivery in 2027/28 and 2028/29. v)  That for the financial years 2026/27, 2027/28, 2028/29 an annual open tender process will be conducted by the Council, and the Council will procure delivery partners for the HAF programme in the following lots, as detailed in this report: Lot 1 – Primary School Aged Provision Lot 2 – Secondary School Aged Provision Lot 3 – Targeted SEND Provision (1-2, 1-3 or 1-4 Support) Lot 4 – Specialist SEND Provision (1-1 Support). vi)  To delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Children and Young People, in consultation with the portfolio lead for Inclusive Economy, Strategic Housing, Culture & Youth Power to approve the list of organisations who will be awarded HAF contracts for the delivery of the HAF programme in 2026, which will be presented to Cabinet to note.   Alternatives considered   a)  Option 1: Do nothing A lack of free holiday and food provision for vulnerable children places them at greater risk of food poverty, social isolation, poor physical and mental health and is likely to have a negative impact on their education outcomes. It also means that the Council will not be able to deliver the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, which may lead to reputational damage and a missed opportunity to invest in much needed services and support for Newham’s vulnerable children and young people. The DfE would not award any of the grant to the Council if the programme was not delivered. b)  Option 2: Accept the grant but allocate it to internal services only. This option would not be in accordance with the requirement of the DfE grant as it would not provide sufficient HAF provision, nor would it provide a diverse enough range of activities or specialist support. c)  Option 3: Accept the grant but continue with the current procurement process, whereby mini competitions are held within a framework for the delivery of the HAF programme each holiday period. Retaining the current procurement model would require the Council to run a separate commissioning process for each holiday period. This approach limits the time available for providers to plan and deliver high-quality programmes and places a recurring administrative burden on both the Council and the providers. Engagement with existing HAF providers has indicated strong support for moving to a single annual procurement cycle, which would offer greater stability, improve planning timelines, and foster more strategic partnerships, and is one of the main reasons why a review will be instigated in line with section 1.9 and 1.10 above. d)  Option 4: Accept the grant but hold a procurement process which commissions provision for all three years of the funding This option reduces flexibility in responding to changing needs, emerging priorities, or shifts in the local provider market. Locking in provision for three years could limit opportunities to adapt delivery models or incorporate learning from previous years. It may also present challenges in maintaining quality and innovation over time, particularly if provider performance varies or if new providers enter the market with enhanced offers. Feedback from current providers indicates a preference for annual commissioning, which balances consistency with adaptability.