Catering staff at Town Hall and Moorfoot redeployed as Sheffield Council tightens purse strings

Catering services for staff, meetings and civic events at Sheffield Council are being reviewed to save money and because of the impact of the pandemic.
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Pre-Covid the council’s catering was provided by a contract with a company called Argent.

A Freedom of Information response explained: “This company provided events catering to private individuals or companies for weddings and conferences which were fully funded by the hirer.

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“It provided staff catering operated from the Town Hall and Flavours at Moorfoot restaurant, which was funded by staff purchases.

Catering services for staff, meetings and civic events at Sheffield Council are being reviewed to save money and because of the impact of the pandemiCatering services for staff, meetings and civic events at Sheffield Council are being reviewed to save money and because of the impact of the pandemi
Catering services for staff, meetings and civic events at Sheffield Council are being reviewed to save money and because of the impact of the pandemi

“And it provided council meeting hospitality and civic functions funded by the authority and service budgets.”

Argent charged the council directly for meetings and civic catering. It then operated the other areas itself, paying staff, providing food and giving the council a small margin of return.

During Covid, the operation closed down and staff were furloughed, then the contract came to an end in February 2021.

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The FOI adds: “Because of Covid, and the council’s desire to operate its own catering activities in the future, we insourced the staff.

“We temporarily redeployed them to other essential services until restrictions changed and allowed us to review the future of the catering provision in detail.”

Officers have decided in the short term that event and large civic catering will be delivered by an external provider as the number of events is low.

This will be reviewed as the events market recovers to see if the authority can move towards delivering catering services itself.

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Staff, meeting and smaller civic catering will be delivered in-house and will use some of the insourced catering staff.

The FOI says: “These revised services will require fewer staff and with limited locations leading to a saving potential of £150,000.

“Staff who are no longer required for catering are being redeployed to vacant posts within the council.”

In future, the Town Hall will deliver event and civic catering. Staff catering will be at a small Moorfoot deli type facility.

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When meeting catering restarts, this will be provided both at the Town Hall and Moorfoot.

Officers say they are still finalising pricing based on a new supply chain currently being set up.

But the FOI adds: “Cost in general, because of inflation and rising food costs, has been going up for all of us and this is likely to continue because of recent events.

“As an example, a cup of coffee in the deli bar will vary between £1.50 and £1.85 dependant on type and if a reusable cup is used. Prior to Covid, a similar product cost between £1.25 and £1.75.”

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Officers say it’s difficult to establish the annual cost of catering because not all activities have restarted.

“The cost for civic and meeting catering will be difficult to project. Covid closed down operations for over two years and the way we work in the future will change with more hybrid working which could reduce meeting catering requirements.

“Pre Covid, the council would spend £90,000 to £140,000 a year with Argent in meeting catering.

“This provision was subject to a corporate policy which restricted when meetings could be provided with catering.

“Any cost the council will pay will come from the revenue budget and a portion of this is council tax payers funded.”