The Director of Finance introduced the report which presented the Draft Annual Business Plan submitted by Edsential CIC (‘Edsential’) recording its performance against last year’s Annual Business Plan, setting out the existing position of the company, its view of the immediate future and steps that it proposed to take to continue trading successfully and compliantly. The Managing Director and a non-Executive Director of Edsential were present to answer questions. It was noted that the company had only returned to financial stability, that local authorities were withdrawing from providing school meal services directly, and that feedback was regularly gathered from schools, Headteachers, pupils, staff and suppliers.

Members questioned the confidence in the forecasts and noted that there was an intention to grow the business. It was also noted that the Living Wage was promoted to schools, who received funding for meals which was insufficient to pay the full cost, and that with benefits including pension the actual value of pay was higher than other similar employment. 

The Chair, Councillor Jean Robinson, then moved to exclude the press and public to continue the discussion with details in the exempt part of the agenda. This was seconded by Councillor Helen Cameron and agreed.

Following the discussion of the exempt appendix, Councillor Phil Gilchrist proposed an additional motion to note the commitment to work towards payment of the Real Living Wage. This was seconded by Councillor Jo Bird.

Resolved: That

1. the draft Annual Business Plan as attached to this report be approved and allow Edsential to continue to trade in the manner proposed in the attached Draft Annual Business Plan

2.  the commitment of the organisation to take steps to reach the level of the Real Living Wage in future be recognised and the constraints in the context of the nationally available funding be recognised and that the Board looks forward to further work to reach this given the potential to reach this in view of the forecast growth as part of their medium-term forecast.