Issue - meetings

Implementing the Children and Young People's Commissioning Strategy

 

 

Meeting: 03/09/2020 - Cabinet (Item 32)

32 Implementing the Children and Young People's Commissioning Strategy pdf icon PDF 157 KB

Report of the Executive Director of Children’s Social Care and Education

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Children’s Social Care that sought approval to progress the procurement of a Provider/Partner agreement (PPA) with residential and independent foster agencies within the Liverpool City Region (LCR).  The procurement was being undertaken by Halton Council under the ‘light touch regime’ for social and other services as listed at Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and would result in a Purchasing System being available.

 

The report also sought approval to direct award children’s residential placements on a block purchase basis using the previously approved Placements North West Purchasing System and any additional Providers included on the Partner Provider Agreement (PPA).

 

Decision Made:

 

That:

 

(1)

the involvement of Sefton in the procurement exercise and subsequent use of the Partner Provider Agreement (PPA), to be led by Liverpool City Region as part of regional joint working arrangements, encompassing a Flexible Purchasing System (FPS) being implemented for the provision of Residential and Foster Services for children and young people, be approved;

 

(2)

the Head of Children’s Social Care in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Safeguarding be granted delegated authority regarding matters in relation to the development of the Provider Partner Agreement (PPA), acknowledging that such decisions will be collective decisions by all participating authorities;

 

(3)

following its establishment, the use of the Provider Partner Agreement (PPA) for the future procurement of Residential and Foster Services for children and young people, where an options appraisal, as described in the report, has determined it to be the most appropriate approach, be authorised;

 

(4)

delegated authority be granted to the Head of Children’s Social Care and nominated Service Managers in the awarding of any contracts called off the Provider Partner Agreement (PPA); and

 

(5)

the block contracting arrangement as described in paragraphs 5.5 of the report, via a direct award using the previously approved North West Flexible Purchasing System, be approved and the Head of Children’s Social Care in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Safeguarding be granted delegated authority to the awarding of any further block contracting arrangements from this purchasing system or the PPA when in place.

 

 

 

 

Reasons for the Decision:

 

The Commissioning Strategy and Market Position Statement for children and young people in Sefton was agreed by Cabinet in January 2020 and included the need to: -

 

a)    identify new block contracts with the Independent Sector targeted at specific levels of need and complexity both for Residential and for Fostering Services

b)    make more efficient use of framework agreements – employing benefits realisation evaluations of current framework arrangements and agreement to continue or adopt other mechanisms. Including North West and Liverpool City Region.

c)     encourage and develop closer working relationships with local providers who can demonstrate good quality and value for money.

d)    commission and procure on both a local and regional footprint employing new ways of working and new models of service delivery

 

If approved the recommendations in this report will enable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32