Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report of the Managing Director of Children & Young People which sought approval to award an optional one year extension to the current Special Educational Needs Transport Service Contract.

It was reported that it was a statutory function of the Council to provide travel assistance to those children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities or mobility issues who were eligible in accordance with SEN Travel Assistance Policy.

A dynamic purchasing system was used to procure and award contracts for the journeys and this was accessed via the CHEST. There were 23 contractors providing specialist vehicles and qualified drivers to provide the service

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and despite the challenges the service had faced over the last two academic years the original contract had been successfully delivered and a contract extension would support all parties during that period.

Options/ alternatives considered

Option 1 – To award the optional 1 year extension to the current contractors that had provided a high quality service and shown real commitment to the children and Young people of Oldham with Special Educational Needs.

Option 2 – That an extension is not approved and a new tender exercise would be required, the risk of not having a SEND Transport contract in place would leave the Council open to challenge.

RESOLVED – That the Council would consider the commercially sensitive information contained at Item 11 of the agenda before making a decision.