Agenda item

Secure Children's Home for London and Pan-London Commissioning Vehicle

Minutes:

  Report CEF23007

 

The report sought approval for the Local Authority to join a Pan-London Vehicle for Commissioning to develop and oversee the running of a secure children’s home provision for London and to collaborate with other Pan-London Vehicle members on future joint commissioning programmes

 

The proposed Pan-London Commissioning Vehicle was the culmination of several years of work by the Association of London Directors of Children's Services to address the lack of secure children’s accommodation in the London region and offer linked services such as rehabilitation and move-on facilities.  A site had been identified in North-East London for the proposed facility, the building of which would be funded by the Department for Education with Pan-London Vehicle members covering running costs via an annual subscription.  Whilst it was not planned to offer discounted places to Pan-London Vehicle members, it was anticipated that significant efficiencies would be derived from reduced travelling time by Children’s Social Workers.  Service users would also benefit from being housed closer to their families and support networks.

 

In response to a question from a Member, the Director of Children, Education and Families advised that it was difficult to predict demand for secure placements, but that the Local Authority made an average of 0-3 secure placements per annum with the critical shortage of secure children’s home provision exposing the Local Authority to potential high-cost placements.  The plans for the secure children’s home were being led by an identified member of the Association of London Directors of Children's Services to provide consistency and were also being developed in line with best practice, including open space and homely accommodation.  The annual cost of membership of the Pan-London Commissioning Vehicle had been set at £20K (subject to inflation adjustment) which included a three-year break clause should Members be concerned about value for money.  As a member of the Pan-London Commissioning Vehicle, the Local Authority would be part of all future discussions around membership costs and it was further noted that as this was an initiative run by local authorities, it would be exempt from income, corporation and capital gains tax.

 

A Member queried how the secure children’s home provision would operate and the Director of Children, Education and Families explained that the secure children’s home would offer a total of 24 places which members of the Pan-London Commissioning Vehicle would have priority access to.  There would be an option to sell unused places to other local authorities which could reduce the annual membership contribution, but a small number of places would be kept free for use as emergency provision.  Another Member asked whether all London Boroughs had joined the Pan-London Commissioning Vehicle.  The Director of Children, Education and Families confirmed that all London Boroughs who had considered the proposals to date had agreed to join the Pan-London Commissioning Vehicle.  A small number of local authorities had yet to decide but a recalibration of the proposals would be undertaken in the event that a Local Authority opt not to join, including cost implications.

 

RESOLVED: That the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

 

·  Agree the Local Authority becomes a member of a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, provisionally to be known as the Pan-London Vehicle, to:

 

a)  Develop and then oversee the running of London’s secure children’s home provision for a five-year period from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2028, with a break-point after three years once the refreshed business case has been developed as well as the service pricing structure, commissioning approach, operating model, practice model and the secure children’s home’s location is confirmed.  Once the provision has launched, membership will be at a fixed annual cost of £20K (subject to inflation adjustment), unless an alternative model for funding the Pan-London Vehicle, that does not require annual subscription, is agreed by members during the development phase; and,

b)  Collaborate with other Pan-London Vehicle members on future joint commissioning programmes.

 

·  Commit in principle to joint oversight and risk/benefit sharing of the secure children’s home provision, through the Pan-London Vehicle, for a five-year period to 31st March 2028 (with three-year break point), that includes the build, service development and service commissioning phases, subject to ratification after the revision of the secure children’s home business case, and renewable on a ten yearly cycle thereafter, with break-point after five years; and,

 

·  Delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Service’s in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Council’s Monitoring Officer to:

 

a)  Finalise the legal documents required to set up, join and run the Pan-London Vehicle; and,

 

b)  Make the final determination on the Council’s membership of the Pan-London Vehicle, following completion of the revised secure children’s home business case and, if appropriate, enter into all the legal agreements, contracts and other documents on behalf of the Council required to implement and run any aspect of the Pan-London Vehicle arrangements.

Supporting documents: