Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval to set up a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the placements of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs in Independent Non Maintained Special Schools as required by Contract Standing Orders 88 and 89. Brent will be acting as the lead borough on behalf of the West London Alliance in the procurement exercise for the DPS. The DPS will be utilised by the following WLA members: Barnet, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and City of Westminster; seeks approval for the continuation of the block contract with Centre Academy for special education placements for the academic year 2016/17; considers the placement arrangements of Children and Young People requiring Additional Resourced Provisions in maintained schools and Academies.

RESOLVED:

-           approved the setting up of a Dynamic Purchasing System (“DPS”) for placements of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs who have been assessed for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and require a placement in INMSS based on the tender considerations set out in paragraph 3.8 of the report.

-           approved the Council to act as Lead authority and to jointly procure the DPS for and on behalf of the participating West London Alliance (WLA) authorities.

-           delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Children and Young People to admit any new service provider(s) onto the DPS subsequent to them meeting their admittance criteria as stated by the Council in the DPS documentation.

-           delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Children and Young People to award High Value Contracts for educational placements procured through the DPS.

-           agreed an exemption from the procurement requirements of the Council’s Contract Standing Order 96 to enable the Strategic Director of Children and Young People, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Chief Legal Officer, to continue the block contract with Centre Academy for the provision of 15 special education placements for the academic year 2016/17. This will allow officers time to put in place the DPS to which Centre Academy will be invited to submit a tender for inclusion onto the DPS.

-           noted that all placements of children with SEND are fully funded by the High Needs block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

-           noted the placement and funding arrangements for the provision of Additionally Resourced Provision places in maintained schools and Academies.

Councillor W Mitchell Murray, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, informed Cabinet that the report sought approval to set up a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the placements of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs in Independent Non Maintained Special Schools (INMSS) as required by Contract Standing Orders 88 and 89.

Councillor W Mitchell Murray stated that Brent would be acting as the lead borough on behalf of the West London Alliance (WLA) in the procurement exercise for the DPS. The DPS will be utilised by the following WLA members: Barnet, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and City of Westminster.

She stated that members werw asked to approve the continuation of the block contract with Centre Academy for special education placements for the academic year 2016/17 and consider the placement arrangements of Children and Young People requiring Additional Resourced Provisions (ARP) in maintained schools and Academies.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that approval be given to the setting up of a Dynamic Purchasing System (“DPS”) for placements of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs who have been assessed for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and require a placement in INMSS based on the tender considerations set out in paragraph 3.8 of the report;

(ii)        that the Council act as Lead authority and to jointly procure the DPS for and on behalf of the participating West London Alliance (WLA) authorities;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Children and Young People to admit any new service provider(s) onto the DPS subsequent to them meeting their admittance criteria as stated by the Council in the DPS documentation;

(iv)       that authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Children and Young People to award High Value Contracts for educational placements procured through the DPS;

(v)        that agreement be given to an exemption from the procurement requirements of the Council’s Contract Standing Order 96 to enable the Strategic Director of Children and Young People, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Chief Legal Officer, to continue the block contract with Centre Academy for the provision of 15 special education placements for the academic year 2016/17. This would allow officers time to put in place the DPS to which Centre Academy would be invited to submit a tender for inclusion onto the DPS;

(vi)       that it be noted that all placements of children with SEND were fully funded by the High Needs block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG);

(vii)      that the placement and funding arrangements for the provision of Additionally Resourced Provision places in maintained schools and Academies be noted.