Decision details

That a waiver of Financial Regulations to enable a new contract for speech and language therapy and occupational therapy to be put in place for a period of one academic year from 1^st September 2014 to 31^st July 2015 be agreed.

The Local Authority has, for a number of years, commissioned Bromley Healthcare CIC to provide an element of the speech and language therapy and occupational therapy provision for pupils in special schools and schools with unit provision.  The main contract for this therapy is held by Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group with the Local Authority holding a separate, smaller value contract.  The existing Local Authority contract with Bromley Healthcare will expire on 31^st August 2014, having previously been awarded by contract extension and exemption. 

Following scrutiny by Education PDS Committee on 12^th November 2014, the Portfolio Holder for Education agreed to pass the Local Authority funding directly to the relevant schools from 1^st September 2014 to enable them to commission services directly.  However, following changes to funding legislation for schools, it has since been identified that further detailed work is required to establish the new funding model before changes can be implemented.  It is therefore proposed to extend the current contract with Bromley Healthcare CIC for a period of one academic year from 1^st September 2014 to 31^st July 2015, allowing a further period for this detailed work to be undertaken.