Issue - meetings

This report advises Members of Brent’s participation in the procurement by the London Borough of Hillingdon of the West London Alliance Independent Fostering Agency framework. This report summarises the process undertaken in tendering this framework agreement and seeks approval to depart from the usual requirements of CSO 86(d) (ii) in relation to individual call-off contracts from the framework agreement.

(i)            that the Council’s participation in a WLA initiative, led by LB Hillingdon, to establish a framework contract for Independent Fostering Agencies be noted;

(ii)        That authority be delegated to officers to access the IFA framework and give permission to enter into an Access Agreement with the London Borough of Hillingdon to use the framework;

(iii)       That an exemption from the usual requirements of Contract Standing Order 86(d)(ii) be approved so that it is not necessary to seek advice from the Director of Legal and Procurement each and every time a call-off is proposed from the IFA framework.

The report from the Acting Director Children and Families advised members of Brent’s participation in the procurement by the London Borough of Hillingdon of the West London Alliance Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) framework. The report summarised the process undertaken in tendering this framework agreement and sought approval to depart from the usual requirements of contract standing orders in relation to individual call-off contracts from the framework agreement. Councillor Pavey (Lead Member, Children and Families) welcomed the report as a significant proportion of the department’s budget was spent on looked after children and care leavers purchasing placements from the private and voluntary sectors. The framework presented an opportunity to use combined purchasing power to deliver more efficient commissioning arrangements. The contract would be awarded for four years and be led by LB Hillingdon.

The Executive also had before them appendices to the report which was not for publication as it contained the following category of exempt information specified in Schedule 12 A of the Local Government Access to Information Act 1972, namely: “Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)”.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the council’s participation in a WLA initiative, led by LB Hillingdon, to establish a framework contract for Independent Fostering Agencies be noted;

(ii)        that authority be delegated to officers to access the IFA framework and give permission to enter into an Access Agreement with the London Borough of Hillingdon to use the framework;

(iii)       that an exemption from the usual requirements of Contract Standing Order 86(d)(ii) be approved so that it was not necessary to seek advice from the Director of Legal and Procurement each and every time a call-off is proposed from the IFA framework.