87 Children's Centres Procurement - Outcome of Tender and Approval for Contract Award
[An item to be considered by the Cabinet in accordance with the Cabinet Procedure Rules and Regulation 5 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, no representations having been received to such consideration taking place under Regulation 5(5) thereof].
Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services (ACH/17/58) on Children’s Centre Services tender and award of contract, attached.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
(Councillors Connett, Dewhirst and Hannaford attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).
(Councillor Hannaford declared a personal interest in this matter by virtue of being a Member of the Advisory Board for West Exe Children's Centre).
The Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services (ACH/17/57) on Children’s Centre Services tender and seeking approval for the award of contract.
The report outlined that the Children’s Centre Services were the key delivery mechanism for the local authority to meet its statutory duties referenced in the Children Act 1989, the Childcare Act 2006 and Working Together 2015, in order to improve the wellbeing of young children and reduce inequalities as well as to achieve the best start in life.
Following consultation in 2014 the following principles were agreed: focussing services on the most vulnerable, reducing building costs, funding front line delivery, encouraging others to deliver some universal services from Children’s Centre buildings and reduce the numbers of contracts from 43 to 8 aligning to city/council boundaries.
The new commissioning model was adopted and the Children’s Centres in Northern Devon and the South West areas were completed by April 1st 2015 with 6 contracts let aligned to district council boundaries. The recent procurement in Northern Devon and South and West Devon culminated in one provider being successful in all contract areas which realised further efficiencies in management costs.
It was now proposed to further rationalise the contracts, in order to increase service provision (to families with children aged 8 and under), into one contract covering the authority boundaries of the Council.
The Cabinet noted that the total estimated value of the Children’s Centre Services contract was approximately £29.5 million over 5 years (3 year term with an option to extend for up to a further 2 years) and also the context and contract design of the Children’s Centre Services. Furthermore, robust performance measures would be in place to ensure the effective delivery of the service including the transition to targeted services and increase in eligible families.
The Chief Officer’s Report also incorporated an Impact Assessment relating to the possible impacts of the proposal, which had been circulated for the attention of Members at this meeting in order that as part of its determination of the next steps in the process the Cabinet might have full regard to the responsibilities placed upon it to exercise its Public Sector Equality Duty, under s149 of the Equality Act 2010.
That assessment recognised the positive impact of the proposals in terms of the continuation of work alongside partners to provide a specialist targeted support offer focusing resources on children 0-3 and a new service specification to provide the opportunity for families with children aged 5 to 8 years to receive a targeted family support offer through their families attending an evidenced based parenting programme. The development of a co-dependant service specification with the Public Health Nursing service would also provide an opportunity to develop a seamless service for families ... view the full minutes text for item 87