Issue - meetings

The Committee considered the report and supported the recommendations.

Members and Co-opted Members of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee are invited to attend the meeting for consideration of this item.

Report CS18118-1

The Committee considered a report requesting approval to grant a contract award for the provision of Advocacy Services for a period of three years commencing 1st April 2018 to 31^st March 2021, with the option to extend the contract for two further one year periods.  Members and Co-opted Members of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee were invited to attend the meeting for consideration of this item as a small part of the contract related to children and young people.

Advocacy Services allowed the views and concerns of vulnerable individuals to be represented, ensuring that their voice was heard, such as in the planning or review of their care plans.  The Local Authority currently had seven contracts for Advocacy Services across four providers which were due to expire on 31^st March 2018.  These contracts would be replaced by a single Advocacy Service bringing together a range of different advocacy services including those relating to the Care Act, Mental Health, Mental Capacity, Health Complaints, Children and Young People and Learning Disabilities.  The new Advocacy Service was expected to provide a more holistic service with a single point of access for service users and professionals and would commence on 1^st April 2018.

RESOLVED that the Council’s Executive be recommended to:

1)  Approve the contract award for Advocacy Services for a period of three years commencing 1st April 2018 to 31^st March 2021, with the option to extend the contract for two further one year periods at a whole life contract value of £1,430,635.

2)  Delegate authorisation to extend this contract for the two optional one year extension periods to the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director: Education, Care and Health Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Care Services, the Director: Commissioning, the Director: Finance and the Director: Corporate Services.