Issue - meetings

This report sets out the intention to enter an Inter Authority Agreement with Harrow Council for the continued provision of Special Needs Transport services.

Cabinet RESOLVED

(1)      To note the contents of the report in relation to the Brent / Harrow Inter-Authority Agreement for the provision of a Special Needs Transport shared service.

(2)      To note that entry into the Brent/Harrow Inter Authority Agreement was required to ensure continuity of service and a means for delivery of the transport operation whilst a wider transformation of the overall service was undertaken.

(3)      To approve Brent Council entering a shared service arrangement with the London Borough of Harrow for the provision of special needs transport as set out in paragraph 3.1.7 of the report, effective from 1^st August 2023 for a period of three years with an option to extend by a further period or periods of up to three years.

Councillor Krupa Sheth (Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure & Climate Action) introduced a report detailing the arrangements to enter into an Inter Authority Agreement with Harrow Council for the provision of Special Needs Transport Services.

In considering the report, members noted that the proposal had been designed to reflect the outcomes arising from an ongoing collaborative cross departmental review of the Special Needs Transport client-side model, policy framework and operational commissioning and delivery model along with an independent assessment of options (as detailed within Appendix 2 of the report).  Whilst this had identified the continued use of a shared service arrangement with Harrow as the best way forward, the approach developed had been subject to a number of changes to better serve Brent’s requirements.  This had included the establishment of a cross service client team (an element of which would be based in Harrow) to support operational decisions, a cross service travel board, revised key performance indicators and enhanced involvement in third party contractor procurement and management.

Members welcomed the approach outlined as a means of further enhancing the support being provided to some of the most vulnerable young people and their families and in complementing the wider support being provided for children with physical and behavioural special educational needs across the borough.  Having noted the exempt information contained in Appendices 2 & 3 of the report it was therefore RESOLVED:

(1)    To note the contents of the report in relation to the Brent / Harrow Inter-Authority Agreement for the provision of a Special Needs Transport shared service.

(2)    To note that entry into the Brent/Harrow Inter Authority Agreement was required to ensure continuity of service and a means for delivery of the transport operation whilst a wider transformation of the overall service was undertaken.

(3)    To approve Brent Council entering a shared service arrangement with the London Borough of Harrow for the provision of special needs transport as set out in paragraph 3.1.7 of the report, effective from 1^st August 2023 for a period of three years with an option to extend by a further period or periods of up to three years.