RESOLVED:

1.    That the council award to Bidder A (as detailed in the Confidential Appendix to the Cabinet report) a contract for provision of the school meals catering service at Merton primary and special schools for a period of 3 years from 1 August 2021 with an option to extend for up to two further years at the discretion of the council.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Director of Children, Schools and Families to exercise, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Education, the council’s option to grant one or more extensions of the contract term for any period up to two further years beyond the expiry of the initial contract term on 31 July 2024.

3.    Members are asked to note the new price charged for a school meal from 1 September 2021 will be £2.23 (currently £2.18) so that the estimated total value of this contract over the initial three year term will be approximately £11.5 million and over the extended term up to £19.2 million.

The Joint Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Education presented the report which set out a proposal to award a contract for the provision of school meals at Merton’s primary and secondary schools. 

In response to a Cabinet Member question, the Contract Manager advised that schools had been encouraged to purchase vouchers rather than food parcels to support low income families in the school holidays.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member and officers for their contributions and it was

RESOLVED:

1.    That the council award to Bidder A (as detailed in the Confidential Appendix to the Cabinet report) a contract for provision of the school meals catering service at Merton primary and special schools for a period of 3 years from 1 August 2021 with an option to extend for up to two further years at the discretion of the council.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Director of Children, Schools and Families to exercise, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Education, the council’s option to grant one or more extensions of the contract term for any period up to two further years beyond the expiry of the initial contract term on 31 July 2024.

3.    Members are asked to note the new price charged for a school meal from 1 September 2021 will be £2.23 (currently £2.18) so that the estimated total value of this contract over the initial three year term will be approximately £11.5 million and over the extended term up to £19.2 million.