Issue - meetings

[Report of the Director for Tottenham. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Social Inclusion & Sustainability]To confirm the appointment of Community Shop as the social supermarket provider for Northumberland Park.

The Cabinet Member for Economic development, social inclusion and sustainability introduced the report which sought approval to award a Concession Contract to the Community Shop C.I.C. (Community Interest Company) to operate a Social Supermarket facility at the Eric Allin Centre on Northumberland Park for a period of up to 10 years.

The Cabinet Member outlined that social supermarkets have been recognised by the GLA as a positive way of supporting those on low incomes, tackling poor diet and overcoming health inequalities, through the provision of surplus stock being sold at heavily subsidised prices. The structured support and development programme sitting alongside membership aligned with the socio-economic aims of our regeneration programme in Northumberland Park by assisting members to improve their economic and social wellbeing.

In response to a local resident’s questions asked outside of the meeting:

1. The address for the social supermarket will remain the same (i.e. ‘Northumberland Park Social Supermarket’, Eric Allin Centre, and Kenneth Robbins House] and keep the reference to Eric Allin, a recognised popular Tottenham community figure.

2. Social supermarket governance expected to involve community members fully both formally (whether through something like a steering group, community forum or as board members) and informally (through presentations to the three Residents Associations etc).

3. The social supermarket was located in the very east of the Northumberland Park ward. It had a membership limit of 750 members at any one time which was a considerable number but due to the levels of deprivation in Northumberland Park can unfortunately be filled very easily by residents of Northumberland Park alone. The impact of the improvements a social supermarket can bring are magnified if it affects a large number of people within the same community, this is particularly true of Northumberland Park where unemployment and low wages are particularly prevalent within the relatively small area of the Northumberland Park estate. Therefore, if it was extended to residents of White Hart Lane (or Bruce Grove) ward its impact could be somewhat watered down. To some extent this is a pilot and the Council will see the impact it has. If it is as successful as then there may be scope to extend outwards to other wards or introduce something similar that can be equally beneficial to residents of those wards.

RESOLVED

1. In accordance with CSO 9.06.1(d),  to approve the award of a Concession Contract to Community Shop C.I.C., for an initial period of 5 years with  options to extend for further periods of 3 and 2 years, to set up and operate a Social Supermarket at the Eric Allin Centre in Northumberland Park;

2. To approve a budget for this project of £185,000 as an addition to the capital programme, financed by £85,000 from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and £100,000 of grant funding allocated to the Council by the Greater London Authority (GLA) for this project;

3. To approve provision in the Concession Contract for a payment to Community Shop C.I.C. towards the capital costs of setting up of the Social Supermarket during  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97