Decision details

The PDS Panel received the report of the Task & Finish Group following their review of Early Years, Children's Centre and Early Help (0 - 11 years) Services and from that made recommendations to Cabinet.  Cabinet considered the Panel’s recommendations at its meeting on 13^th November 2013.  The Cabinet decision from that meeting was Called-in and the Call-in was considered by the Panel at its meeting on 25^th November 2013.  The Panel agreed to uphold the Call-in and to ask Cabinet to reconsider its original decision.

Cabinet considered the Panel’s recommendations at a meeting on 4^th December 2013.  The reconsidered decision made at that meeting was not subject to Call-in.

The Panel received a presentation from Officers on the developing model at its meeting in January 2014 and Cabinet considered the matter under the discussion of the budget at its meeting on 12^th February 2014.  An update report will be brought to Cabinet at its meeting on 11^th June 2014.

The Panel will receive and comment on the report to Cabinet on September 8^th prior to the Cabinet meeting on September 10^th.

(1) To NOTE the results of the consultation processes and the range of views expressed by respondents, both for and against each element of the proposed changes;

(2) To AGREE to implement the new proposed service model, in order to deliver the cost savings approved in the Council’s approved Medium Term Service and Resource Plan;

(3) To NOTE the ‘Right to Provide’ proposal submitted by Children’s Centre staff who wish to explore the development of a ‘staff mutual’, (which could help to enable some elements of universal provision to be delivered without direct Council funding), and to AGREE to permit the staff to develop a business case;

(4) To DELEGATE authority to the Strategic Director (People and Communities) and Cabinet Member for Early Years, Children and Youth, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer, to have discretion at key stages to halt the process if it becomes evident that the business case is not going to be viable;

(5) To AGREE in light of the above that the Council will continue to be the direct provider of Children’s Centre Services for 9 Children’s Centres until March 2018 unless a staff mutual is established at an earlier date for an appropriate procurement process to be undertaken;

(6) To AGREE in light of the above the continuation of the Bath West Children’s Centre Services (the 2 Children’s Centres contracted from an external provider) through appropriate procurement mechanisms to run until March 2018 in order to align with the in-house service;

(7) To AGREE that both the Council service and commissioned provider will be required to work together to enable the new two-service model to be progressively implemented ahead of a full re-commissioning process to let a contract that runs from April 2018 onwards;

(8) To APPROVE the inclusion of further transitional funds of £104,000 in 2015/16 and plan for transitional funding of £76,000 in the Council Budget for 2015/16, with transitional funding to be spread over the following 2 financial years to support these measures, due to the resulting delay in achieving the full implementation of the new two-service model;

(9) To INSTRUCT officers and commissioned providers to continue to promote and explore opportunities to enable some universal services, such as groups and peer networks, to be delivered without direct Council funding; and

(10) To ASK the Early Years, Children and Youth Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel to receive a report and review implementation of new models a year following implementation.

The models proposed allow the budget reductions to be made with the least adverse effect on children and families in greatest need. These have already been substantially adjusted from those originally proposed. Models have been developed in line with the design and commissioning principles previously agreed, e.g. efficiencies and management reductions ahead of front-line services.  Similar models are being implemented nationally and other authorities are making greater budget reductions.  The models were developed with stakeholder engagement, including PDS panel, and the service providers.

Key concerns raised through consultation can be mitigated.  Support for the development of the staff mutual business case allows greater engagement of staff and the opportunity to explore further mitigations. Delaying full implementation allows both of these things to be fully explored in the most timely manner.

An early commitment was made not to close Children’s Centres as this would erode accessibility in a greater way as well as requiring payback of the capital investment.

Cabinet could decide against exploring the right to provide request. However, this may well demotivate staff and lose opportunities outlined in the Cost Benefit analysis.

Any other options would have greater financial consequences in delay or inability to deliver the required savings.