The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer grants approval to provide support to families with children who are eligible for Free School Meals during the Easter Half Term Holidays at a cost of up to £1.1m.

This will be funded from the £12.9m government fund allocated to Manchester under Household Support Fund 4 which will provide support to households across Manchester impacted by the energy and cost of living crisis.

HSF4 runs from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Government confirmation of funding and of the scheme requirements were received on 21 February 2023. The timing of final government confirmation of the scheme means that if the scheme were to progress through the standard Key Decision process there would be a delay in the provision of critical support to Manchester residents.

As such the Chair of Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee has agreed that this decision is urgent and can be taken in less than the required 28 day publication period and is exempt from Call In.