Agenda item

To agree the future arrangements for the commissioning of day and residential placements at Independent and Non-maintained Special Schools and Independent Specialist Colleges for Children and Young People with Additional Needs.

Cllr Richard Boyles, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, sought to agree future arrangements for the commissioning of day and residential placements at Independent and Non-maintained Special Schools and Independent Specialist Colleges for Children and Young People with Additional Needs.

Having considered all of the information, including known proposals, alternative options and reasons for recommendations, Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED to: -

1.    Authorise the Director of Education to execute a Partnership Agreement with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) under which Gloucestershire County Council shall be entitled to join WSCC’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Children's Placements and Other Support Services (CPOSS) for the purpose of commissioning day and residential education placements for children and young people (0-25) with additional needs.  The proposed Partnership Agreement shall continue for an initial period of 3 years commencing 1^st April 2019 and include an option to extend such term by a further period of not more than 4 years (expiring no later than 31^st March 2026);

2.    Authorise the Head of Services for Children with Additional Needs:

(a)    To utilise the West Sussex County Council CPOSS DPS in order to commission and award contracts thereunder for the delivery of day and residential education placements for Children and Young People (0-25) with additional needs as offering the Council best value for money for delivery of the services in accordance with the DPS requirements the period described in paragraph 1.

(b)    To report back to Cabinet at the end of each 12 month period throughout the period described in Paragraph 1 above in order to provide details of the aggregate value of contracts awarded using theWest Sussex County Council CPOSS DPS in that period and cumulatively together with authority to enter into higher value individual contracts over £500K to be awarded within the subsequent 12 month period. 

Cllr Richard Boyles, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, sought approval of a new partnership arrangement with West Sussex County Council to allow Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) to participate in the West Sussex Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the commissioning of day and residential education placements for children and young people with additional needs. The current contract was due to expire on 31 March 2019.

Cllr Boyles informed members that the West Sussex DPS had been developed using knowledge and experience gathered over the previous five years. He reported that the council had utilised a DPS with West Sussex Council since March 2014, an arrangement that had benefited the council by allowing it to shape the market and enable providers to diversify and amend offers on the framework in response to need.

The new DPS agreement involved eight councils, with a proposal to run for an initial 3-year period, with the option to extend for a further period of not more than 4 years. The total forecast spend, (should the contract be extended to the full 4 year period), was anticipated at £100 million.

Cllr Boyles confirmed that the council had  developed a Sufficiency Strategy to run alongside the agreement. Built into the proposal were 12 monthly annual reviews; (to advise Cabinet of progress).

Drawing attention to the due regard statement accompanying the decision, Cllr Boyles proposed Cabinet approve Option A of the proposed options.

Having considered all of the information, including known proposals, alternative options and reasons for recommendations, Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED to: -

1. Authorise the Director of Education to execute a Partnership Agreement with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) under which Gloucestershire County Council shall be entitled to join WSCC’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Children's Placements and Other Support Services (CPOSS) for the purpose of commissioning day and residential education placements for children and young people (0-25) with additional needs.  The proposed Partnership Agreement shall continue for an initial period of 3 years commencing 1^st April 2019 and include an option to extend such term by a further period of not more than 4 years (expiring no later than 31^st March 2026);

2. Authorise the Head of Services for Children with Additional Needs:

(a) To utilise the West Sussex County Council CPOSS DPS in order to commission and award contracts thereunder for the delivery of day and residential education placements for Children and Young People (0-25) with additional needs as offering the Council best value for money for delivery of the services in accordance with the DPS requirements the period described in paragraph 1.

(b) To report back to Cabinet at the end of each 12-month period throughout the period described in Paragraph 1 above in order to provide details of the aggregate value of contracts awarded using the West Sussex County Council CPOSS DPS in that period and cumulatively together with authority to enter into higher value individual contracts over £500K to be awarded within the subsequent 12-month period.