Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence received.

There were no public questions for this meeting of the Cabinet to consider.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18^th March 2024, as a correct record.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18^th March 2024, be approved as a correct record.

The report details a review and re-design of services for children, young people and their families in Oldham.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Public Health which outlined that as part of the transformation of services for children, young people and families in Oldham the Council was reviewing and redesigning the current 0-19 (25) service. In doing so it had been identified that there was a need to consult with affected staff on the proposals for the new service, including a new staffing structure. Staff consultation would be in line with the requirements of the relevant HR policies in both the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and Oldham Council.

The Council is proposing to transform its offer to families through the £3.6m Oldham Family Hubs programme.  The programme will provide easily accessible places in local communities which will provide families with children and young people aged 0-19 (up to 25 if there are special educational needs and disabilities) with early help to overcome difficulties and build stronger relationships. The Family Hubs Programme is acting as a catalyst for the proposed wider remodelling and improvement of services for children and families in Oldham. The current 0-19 (25) Service is pivotal to the delivery of these strategic aspirations but is currently not structured in a way that will enable the effective delivery of the Health Child Programme or the Family Hub Programme. Work has been underway for some time to remodel the service and design a staffing structure to deliver the new service model. The Council is now ready to consult with staff on the proposals.

The current service delivers:

•      The 0-4 Healthy Child Programme -mandated elements (health visiting)

•      The 5-19 Healthy Child Programme -mandated elements (school nursing)

•      The Oral Health Improvement Programme

•      Infant Feeding Programme

•      The Childrens Centre core offer (which is being reframed as the Family Hubs offer)

•      Early years SEND offer.

•      Early learning offer

•      Support to safeguarding of children.

•      Family Nurse Partnership

Options/alternatives considered:

Option One – to commence consultation with affected staff on the proposals for the new service model and associated staffing structure. This is the preferred option.

Option Two – the alternative approach would be to retain the current staffing structure. That would make it very difficult to transform service delivery. The current staffing structure is unaffordable within the available budget. To stay within budget, vacancies are not being filled. This is happening in an unplanned way, making it difficult to operationally manage a safe and productive service.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive information at item 12 of the agenda before making a decision thereon.

To consider options for the future operations of the Youth Justice Service, from 1^st April 2025.

The Cabinet received a report of the Director of Children’s Services advising that the Youth Justice Service (YJS) was a statutory service delivered in Oldham currently by Positive Steps. The current contract with Positive Steps, is due to end on 31^st March 2025. Cabinet was informed that there was no provision currently to extend within Corporate Procurement Rules.

The Youth Justice Service (YJS) provides youth justice and preventative support for Oldham children, young people and families. This was a statutory responsibility which Positive Steps performed on behalf of the Local Authority.

YJS is a statutory service and therefore delivery will be required from 1 April 2025. A project board will be established to oversee and implement arrangements. This will include the development of outcome-based service specifications. Membership of the project board will include Children’s Commissioning, ICP Commissioners, Service Area Leads, Children and Young People, Parent Carer Forum, Finance, Procurement, HR and Legal. The chair of the project board will be at Assistant Director or Director level to ensure strategic oversight, integration into our transformation journey and to mitigate potential risks.

Options/alternatives considered:

Option One - a robust, transparent procurement and commissioning process via the Chest is undertaken to recommission YJS with a new service to go live on 1 April 2025. This process would involve young people from the outset and would be led by the project board. With this option it is recommended, in line with recent commissioning awards that the contracts be awarded for a period of five years with the option to extend for up to a further two years. This would be subject to continued annual funding from YJB being available and provider performance to meet key priorities and outcomes.

Option Two – the Youth Justice Service be brought in house and be delivered by Oldham Council from 1^st April 2025.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive information at item 15 of the agenda before making a decision thereon.

The current SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS) contract ends on 31^st March 2025 and approval is sought to re-commission the contract through an open, transparent, robust, competitive procurement process.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services which advised members that the current SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS) contract expired on 31^st March 2025. Approval was therefore being sought to re-commission the contract through an open, transparent, robust, competitive procurement process. This will enable Oldham Council and its partners to continue to fulfil their statutory duties.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 was to approve the re-commissioning of SEND IASS on a five year plus up to two-year contract, with the successful provider going live with the service on 1^st April 2025. The Council’s Children’s Services were also seeking approval for delegated contract award decision making responsibilities to be awarded to the Director of Children’s Services (DCS) for services to be delivered from 1^st April 2025.

Option 2 was to extend the current contract for a further one year.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive information at item 13 of the agenda before making a decision thereon.

To assess options for the delivery of Targeted Impartial Information Advice and Guidance Services, from 1^st April 2025.

The Cabinet received a report of the Director of Children’s Services regarding Targeted Youth Support (TYS) services in Oldham, which are currently being delivered by Positive Steps.

The Services in scope are TIIAG (Targeted Impartial, Independent Advice and Guidance (TIIAG) for targeted groups including those not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) up to age 18, Young Carers and Missing from Home or Care Return Home Interviews. This contract is due to cease on 31^st March 2025 with no further option to extend under Corporate Procurement Rule

Positive Steps currently hold the contract for the delivery of a collection of statutory services which form part of Targeted Youth Services. They are: TIIAG; Young Carers; and Missing from Home or Care Return Interviews.

The contract included statutory duties and therefore delivery would be required from 1^st April 2025.

A project board is intended to be established to oversee and implement arrangements. This will include the development of outcome-based service specifications. Membership of the project board will include Children’s Commissioning, ICP Commissioners, Service Area Leads, Children and Young People, Parent Carer Forum, Finance, Procurement, HR and Legal. The Chair of the Project Board will be the Head of Service for Children and Young People’s Commissioning to ensure strategic oversight, integration into our transformation journey and to mitigate potential risks. 

Three Options available to ensure continued delivery of statutory functions from 1^st April 2025 and are detailed as follows: 

Option One - all elements of the contract are re-tendered through an open, robust, competitive commissioning and procurement process via The Chest. Once awarded the contract would commence on 1 April 2025. A meet the market event would be held to discuss plans, gain feedback from the market and develop a service specification which would be outcome based.

Option Two - the Council delivers all elements within the contract formerly known as Lot 3 internally. This model could be based across a number of service areas with appropriate resource and staff transferred under TUPE arrangements. Service specifications would be in place to ensure delivery of required outcomes.

Option Three - TIIAG including those not in education, employment, or training (NEET) up to the age of 18 is re-tendered through an open, transparent, robust, competitive procurement process.  The missing from home or care return home interviews and Young Carers offer are delivered internally as outlined in Option 2 above.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive information at item 14 of the agenda before making a decision thereon.

A report seeking approval for formal acceptance of the CRSTS funding, as well as the acceptance of the Integrated Transport Block and Advanced Pot Hole Funding, and approval of the programme recommended for delivery utilising these funds in full, for 2024/25.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Environment which advised on the strategic approach for the 5-year City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) programme, that had previously been approved in March 2022 (appended to this report). The report also sought approval for the formal acceptance of the CRSTS funding, as well as the acceptance of the Integrated Transport Block (ITB) and Advanced Pot-Hole Funding, and approval of the programme recommended for delivery utilising these funds in full, for 2024/25.

The report outlined that funding previously received for Core Highways Maintenance and Integrated Transport Block (ITB) had been consolidated into the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) funding settlement, with effect from 2022/23, and for the subsequent five financial years. On 1^st April 2022, Great Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) had been notified of its final CRSTS allocation of £1.07bn, based upon the CRSTS prospectus, which had been submitted to Government in September 2021 and the draft Programme Case that was submitted on 31^st January 2022. This allocation includes an amount of £175m for core highways maintenance and £82m for ITB funding for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27.

The Cabinet was informed that, in terms of risk assessment, the proposed option of allocating the CRSTS, ITB and Advanced Pothole grant funding would provide an opportunity for the Council to provide a programme of works which will support road safety and comply with the requirements under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980.  The service should ensure there is sufficient monitoring of the grant agreement and that any conditions are compiled with especially those around the Integrated Transport Block and the requirements in relation to bus franchising particularly in future years.  Procurement, legal and financial comments are noted separately in the report but full engagement with these teams when procuring the contractors to carry out the works and monitoring the spend of each of the programmes will be essential in managing these schemes whilst balancing the current financial position of the Council.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 - the proposed programme of schemes which would fully utilise the expected City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), Integrated Transport Block (ITB) and Advanced Pot-Hole Funding allocations available for 2024/25 as per the formal grant notifications from GMCA.

Option 2 – Members do not agree to the proposed programme of schemes which would fully utilise the expected City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), Integrated Transport Blok (ITB) and Advanced Pot-Hole Funding allocations available for 2024/25 as per the formal grant notifications from GMCA.

Option 1 was therefore recommended to progress delivery of the Transport Capital Programme 2024/25 and deliver improvements and infrastructure across the borough’s highway assets.

Resolved:

1.    Cabinet approves receipt of the funding allocations from CRSTS, ITB & Adv Pothole maintenance funding as shown in body of this report totaling £4.5m for 2024/25 as per the formal grant notification from GMCA.

2.    Cabinet approves the proposed programme of schemes, which would fully utilise the £4.5m funding allocation available for 2024/25 (as listed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To consider that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following four items of business, pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that discussions may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, under paragraph(s) 3 as defined in the provisions of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

Resolved:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting, for the following four items of business, on the grounds that they contain exempt information under paragraph 3 Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and it would not, on balance, be in the public interest to disclose the reports.

To consider the recommendations in the confidential report.

Consideration was given to the commercially sensitive information in relation to Item 6: Improving our Services for Children, Young People and their families.

Resolved:

That Cabinet approves the commencement of staff consultation on the proposed staffing structure for the re-modelled Oldham Integrated Children and Family Service.

To consider the recommendations in the confidential report.

Consideration was given to the commercially sensitive information in relation to Item 8: SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS) – Re-tender of Service.

Resolved:

1.    That the Cabinet approves the re-commissioning of SEND IASS, with the successful provider going live with the service on 1^st April 2025, subject to joint commissioning arrangements including funding being confirmed within appropriate timescales.

2.    That Cabinet agrees to delegate the contract award decision making responsibilities to the Director of Children’s Services (DCS) in order for services to be delivered from 1^st April 2025.

To consider the recommendations in the confidential report.

Consideration was given to the commercially sensitive information in relation to Item 9: Targeted Impartial Information Advice and Guidance (TIIAG), Return Home from Missing Interviews and Young Carers.

Resolved:

1.    That all elements of the contract (including UKSPF if funding is available) be re-tendered through an open, robust, competitive commissioning and procurement process via The Chest.

2.    That the Cabinet delegates the contract award decision making responsibilities to the Director of Children’s Services, for services to be delivered from 1^st April 2025.

To consider the recommendations in the confidential report.

Consideration was given to the commercially sensitive information in relation to Item 7: Youth Justice Service – Re-tender of Service from 1st April 2025.

Resolved:

1.    That the Director of Children’s Services be authorised to undertake a robust, transparent procurement and commissioning process via the Chest to recommission the Youth Justice Service, with a new service to go live on 1^st April 2025; this process would involve young people from the outset and would be led by the project board.

2.    That Cabinet grants approval to delegate contract award decision making responsibilities to the Director of Children’s Services in order for services to be delivered from 1^st April 2025.