For the Deed of Variation to the Section 38 Agreement for Holmer West Phase 4, Hereford for Bloor Homes to be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To secure adopted publicly maintained highway works constructed to the proper standards for the benefit of the community.

For the Deed of Variation to the Section 38 Agreement for Holmer West Phase 3, Hereford for Bloor Homes to be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To secure adopted publicly maintained highway works constructed to the proper standards for the benefit of the community.

To grant leases/Licences relating to the Installation, Connection and Operation of EV charging points at multiple locations within Herefordshire, as agreed in the concession agreement between Herefordshire Council and an EV charging point provider.

Locations include:
- Gaol Street, Hereford
- Garrick, Hereford
- HALO Leisure Centre Leominster
- HALO Leisure Centre St Martins Hereford
- Kyrle Street, Ross on Wye

To award a contract via the Crown Commercial Services RM6116 Network Services 3 framework agreement for the supply of Contact Centre Services.

Award a contract to Charterhouse Voice and Data Limited for the provision of contact centre services for a period of 5 years with an optional extension of +2 +2 years at a total cost of £250,705 for 5 years.

To accept a capital grant of £60,090 from the government Swimming Pool Support Fund and to use this funding to improve pool facilities at Hereford Leisure Pool.

To provide a food voucher of up to £195 (£15 per school holiday week) per child that are eligible for free school meals. The £15 food voucher will cover one week during May half-term, six weeks during the Summer holiday period, one week during October half-term, two weeks during the Christmas holiday period, one week during February half-term and two weeks during the Easter holiday period. The total cost is estimated to be £897,000.00.

The free school meal system is an important component of the support that is provided to low-income families. Providing vouchers in the school holidays for children entitled to free school meals is an extension to this support and will benefit around 4,600 children. Through this proposal, primary and secondary aged school pupils who are eligible for benefits related free school meals will receive a food voucher of £15 per week during the holiday period up until the end of the Easter 2026 holiday period.

Herefordshire Council has received an allocation of £2,343,383.67 from the Department of Works and Pensions under the Household Support Fund. The expectation is that the funding should be used primarily to support households in the most need, particularly those including children and pensioners who would otherwise struggle with energy, food and water bills as well as other essential costs.

By utilising the funding from government, this will have a positive impact on low-income families and child poverty by minimising the debt burden on those that struggle to pay essential bills.

To enable schools to provide a voucher for food and other household essentials up to value of £50 per voucher from the Household Support Fund at total estimated cost of £50k. The vouchers would be available until the end of March 2026 and would be capped at a maximum of 2 per household totalling a maximum of £100.00 this could support a minimum of 500 families and a maximum (depending on whether each household is allocated one or two vouchers).

The number of ‘children in poverty’ is on the increase across the whole of the UK (according to Child Poverty Action Group). Many families in Herefordshire who are on low incomes are struggling to afford food, energy and other essential household items. This includes those working households, who are above the free school meal income threshold as well as those on low incomes just above the means tested threshold for benefits. Low-income households spend a larger proportion than average on energy and food so will be more affected by price increases.

Providing food vouchers for households of children and young people, at the discretion of the schools, can support households to prevent escalation of problems. These include families with children of all ages, large families and single parent families.

The approach has been tested with several schools and community representatives and has had a positive response. The proposal has been developed with the Strategic Finance Manager for Schools to develop procedures and guidance on how the scheme will work. The scheme was reviewed in October 2023 and appropriate adjustments made as required.

Through this proposal, primary and secondary aged school pupils who are in households that are in the most need of support to help with significantly rising living costs will receive a food voucher that can be redeemed at supermarkets. It is anticipated that this is a one-off payment but that by exception some households may need further support, and this will be capped at a maximum of two vouchers to end in March 2026. Families will be identified by schools which are well placed to identify struggling households.

36 Eligible schools have been determined using data based on the number of pupils that attend the school on FSM, this shows as an indicator of deprivation. All eligible schools have at least over 15% of children on FSM's and have participated in the vouchers scheme previously.

Herefordshire Council has received an allocation of £2,343,383.67 from the Department of Works and Pensions under the next phase of the Household Support Fund which will run from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. The expectation is that the funding should be used primarily to support households in the most need. This scheme will form part of wider offer that is being developed as part of the allocation of the Household Support Fund.

By utilising the funding from government, this will have a positive impact on low-income families and child poverty by minimising the debt burden on those that struggle to pay essential bills.

In February 2023, there were 10,370 households in Herefordshire claiming Universal Credit, the highest level seen since January 2020. Of these households just over a half (5,330) had at least one child.
Consumer prices, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) have risen exponentially over the past four years. The Bank of England has also maintained high interest rates since the end of the pandemic, placing pressure on families.

These increases have resulted in more households struggling with the financial strain, including those not previously eligible or support through existing government schemes.

To arrange for up to £160,000.00 of funding from the Household Support Fund to the Local Welfare Provision service for the administration and provision of emergency support through an open application process for households experiencing financial hardship.
Full details of the Local Welfare Provision (Household Support Fund) Policy can be found at Appendix 1.

Herefordshire Council has received an allocation of £2,343,383.67 from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under the Household Support Fund.

Part of the funding criteria states that an open application process must be available for all residents within the county to apply. The expectation is that it should be used to support households in the most need; particularly those who may not be eligible for other support the government has made available but who are nevertheless struggling due to the increased cost of living.

The council already operates an application scheme for people requiring support in an emergency through its Local Welfare Provision (LWP) service. Utilising this funding enables the LWP service and eligibility criteria for emergency support to be enhanced, by providing additional staff resources to assess and administer applications and distribute the voucher payments.

The attached policy provides the local eligibility framework for emergency support to meet crucial needs of a person or household experiencing financial hardship resulting in them struggling to feed themselves or their family, heat their home, or pay for other essential living costs.

For the Deed of Variation to the Section 278 Agreement for works on the junction of the A438 and B4214 at Hereford Road, Ledbury for Bloor Homes to be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.
To secure adopted publicly maintained highway works constructed to the proper standards for the benefit of the community.

To delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Economy and Environment to spend the Local Transport Grant, Local Transport Resource Fund and Integrated Transport Block funding from the Department for Transport

In 2025/26, to invest £2,500k across the following asset types:
carriageway surfacing (£1,400k), structures (£500k), vehicle restraint
systems (£100k), footway reconstruction (£150k) and structural patching
works (£350k) as set out in the Cabinet Member report, approved on 26th
March 2025.

That Balfour Beatty Living Places carry out the necessary scoping, design and production of pre-construction information packages to enable Herefordshire Council to deliver 35 further Public Rights of Way replacement bridge structures at locations set out in Appendix 1.

To seek approval to allocate and spend the Employment Land capital budget to bring forward detailed designs and accompanying business case for the development of business space on the former Bromyard Depot site, and to establish a business hub facility on the ground floor of the Buttercross Building in Leominster.

To award a contract for highway works associated with Highway Infrastructure Investment –Tarmac Trading Ltd using the Council’s NEC 4 Framework Agreement, up to the value of £144,258.60.

The works on the U71224 & C1250 Whitchurch Road, Llangrove are in addition to those required as part of the original scheme extents identified in Works Order 17.

To enter into Parish Lengthsman contract variation agreements with 1 Town and Parish Council as listed in Appendix 1 so as to deliver £8,795.00 of improvement works on the Public Rights of Way network, as set out in this report, and within a total value of £25k per Town and Parish Council in order to be permissible as a direct award under the Contract Procedure Rules.

(This Record of Officer Decision is further to previous Record of Officer Decisions of July 2024, November 2024 and February 2025).

• Halo occupies council premises in support of a contract for provision of leisure services at this venue.
• Contract and lease are for a period of two years commencing 1st April 2025.

• Option Agreement was originally completed 15/03/2018 and extended to expire 30/06/2025.

• Progression of the affordable housing scheme on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall (which is dependent upon a footpath provision linking the new houses to the school and village) has been further delayed.

• It is sought to extend the Option Agreement for a further 24 months.

The purpose of the report is to confirm what Herefordshire Council will deliver with the Capability and Ambition Fund grant

To seek approval to commission, by means of a competitive tender process in line with the council’s contract procedure rules, a housing related support service for 16–25-year-old children in care and care leavers

For the signing of the Deed of Dedication of land for cycleway improvements at Penhaligon Way, Hereford with Connexus Housing. To be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To secure land on which to make cycleway improvements for the benefit of the community as part of LUF funded cycle improvements

For the Deed of Dedication of land for a bus shelter at Leasown, Burghill with Connexus Housing to be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To secure land on which to erect a bus shelter for the benefit of the community.

For the Deed of Variation to the Section 278 Agreement for The Oval, Phase 2 for Connexus Homes Limited and Keepmoat Homes to be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To secure adopted publicly maintained highway works constructed to the proper standards for the benefit of the community.

For the Deed of Variation to the Section 38 Agreement for Phase 1, Leadon Way, Ledbury for BDW Trading Ltd to be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To secure adopted publicly maintained highway works constructed to the proper standards for the benefit of the community.

For the Section 38/278 Agreement for The Oval, Phase 4 for Connexus Homes Ltd and Keepmoat Homes Ltd to be signed and sealed by an authorised officer on behalf of Herefordshire Council.

To secure adopted publicly maintained highway works constructed to the proper standards for the benefit of the community.

The Bishop's Meadow Tennis Courts require consistent maintenance and regular use to keep them in optimal condition. The Bishop's Meadows Community Sports Park CIC has made impressive strides in restoring the grass courts and has positively influenced the local tennis community in Hereford by offering lessons and providing a welcoming space for tennis enthusiasts. Additionally, the Sports Park offers refreshments from its facilities, further enhancing the experience for visitors to the area.

To award the contract for construction of the Hereford Station Transport Hub to McPhillips (Wellington) Ltd following successful evaluation from an open tender process for the sum of £9,614,960.51

Award a contract to S C Joseph Ltd Ltd for the Roof works at Gorsley Goffs Primary School, Herefordshire, following a successful tender on the
Council’s procurement portal.

Approve the expenditure of up to £129,038.98 for the works, which includes a contingency of up to £11,730.82.

Approve the expenditure of up to £16,129.87 for internal and external
professional fees.

Responsibility for monitoring the programme to be carried out by the
Capital Senior Project Manager within the spend budget.

To award a contract (Works Order 14) to Tarmac Trading Ltd using the Council’s Highways and Public Realm Schemes Framework, to the initial value of £282,477.17 for surface dressing preparation works on C and U roads across the county, as set out in Appendix 1.

To award a contract for highway works associated with Highway Infrastructure Investment – Works Order 17 Tarmac Trading Ltd using the Council’s NEC 4 Framework Agreement, up to the value of £213,570.36 with an approved contingency of 10% to the value of £21,357.03.

The works identified will deliver a programme of resurfacing on various C and Unclassified roads across the county, as shown within Appendix 1