Issue - meetings

Cllr Stephen Davies sought Cabinet approval to develop and then procure a multi-supplier Gloucestershire Open Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement that will better serve the needs of children in care and care leavers aged 16+ in Gloucestershire; and implement spot purchasing arrangements in accordance with Council spot-purchasing standards for new supported accommodation placements in the interim whilst the proposed new Framework Agreement is in development.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Agree point 1 and 3 and delegate authority for point 2 to the Executive Director for Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding and Early Years, to:

1.    Develop and then procure a multi-supplier Open Framework Agreement for the provision of Supported Accommodation for children in care and care leavers aged 16+ in Gloucestershire (the “Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement”). Such framework agreement shall continue for a period of up to 5 years.

2.    Procure and then award, subject to the financial restrictions set out in the Resourcing Implications section of this report below, as many call-off contracts under the above- mentioned Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement as may be required by the council for the provision of supported accommodation placements for children in care and care leavers aged 16+ for the duration described in their statutory care and permanence plans.

3.    To implement spot purchasing arrangements as an interim measure for new supported accommodation placements between the 1st August 2024 and 31st March 2025 whilst the proposed Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement is awarded.

10.1 Cllr Stephen Davies, Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding and Early Years, sought Cabinet approval to develop and procure a multi-supplier Gloucestershire Open Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement to better serve the needs of children in care and care leavers aged 16 years plus in Gloucestershire. In addition, the decision sought to implement spot purchasing arrangements in accordance with the Council’s spot-purchasing standards for new supported accommodation placements whilst the proposed new Framework Agreement is in development.

10.2 The Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement will enable the Council to achieve best value in the provision of services by intervening and actively shaping the local market and enabling the commissioning of sufficient, good quality placements aligned to the assessed needs of young people.

10.3 Over the proposed 5-year period, the open framework is anticipated to reduce current spending in this sector and to better deliver the ambitions of the Gloucestershire Sufficiency Strategy.   

10.4 The interim spot purchase arrangement will bridge the gap between implementation of the draft spot purchase contract for new supported accommodation placements in August 2024 and the planned implementation of the new framework from 1 April 2025.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Agree recommendations 1 and 3 and to delegate authority of recommendation 2 to the Executive Director for Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding and Early Years, to:

1.    Develop and then procure a multi-supplier Open Framework Agreement for the provision of Supported Accommodation for children in care and care leavers aged 16+ in Gloucestershire (the “Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement”). Such framework agreement shall continue for a period of up to 5 years.

2.    Procure and then award, subject to the financial restrictions set out in the Resourcing Implications section of this report below, as many call-off contracts under the above- mentioned Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement as may be required by the council for the provision of supported accommodation placements for children in care and care leavers aged 16+ for the duration described in their statutory care and permanence plans.

3.    To implement spot purchasing arrangements as an interim measure for new supported accommodation placements between 1August 2024 and 31March 2025 whilst the proposed Supported Accommodation Framework Agreement is awarded.