Agenda item

(To receive a report from Sara Gregory, Commissioning Manager and Melissa Cullingham, Commissioning Officer, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on an extension to the Best Start Lincolnshire: Early Years and Family Service Contract, prior to a decision being taken by the Executive on 6 July 2021)

The Chairman advised the Committee that this item was for pre-decision scrutiny prior to a decision being taken by the Executive on 6 July 2021.         

The Chairman invited Charlotte Gray (Head of Children's Strategic Commissioning), to present the report to the Committee.

The Assistant Director of Early Help advised the Committee that an exception was sought to the Council's Contract Regulations, to extend the Pre-School Learning Alliance for the Best Start Lincolnshire: Early Years and Family Service, for up to 12 months to 30 June 2023.

Best Start Lincolnshire had been significantly affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic, with staff having to reprioritise their time. Therefore, the review of Commissioned Early Years Services had been delayed. Prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic, children's centres were used to deliver the Best Start Lincolnshire: Early Years and Family Service. However, the use of Children's Centres had since been offered to health services.

Further time would allow for consideration of service demand post Covid-19 while also offering the opportunity to consider the newly published Public Health England Healthy Child Programme which was delayed. If an extension couldn’t be agreed, a new operating model would need to be completed by December 2021, a target that wasn't currently feasible.

Members of the Committee asked a number of questions, when the following points were confirmed:

·       There was enough flexibility in the existing contract to enable services to respond to changing needs moving out of the pandemic and continue to deliver services effectively. Officers were confident that there was nothing in the current contract that would restrict the Council in terms of commissioning and being able to continue to meet the needs of families.

·       The procurement process was lengthy due to the requirement to meet regulated timescales and undertake statutory engagement with families, the need to follow the Healthy Child Programme, allowing time for the decision making process, and allowing six months for a handover of the service to a new provider should a new provider be awarded the contract.

·       Committee members asked for assurance that Children's Centres were not going to be at risk of closure as a result of the wider review.  Officers confirmed that provision of Children's Centres was not in the scope of the Commissioned Early Years Services review.  The review had been designed to ensure that there was not a duplication of services, but that provision was integrated to maximise outcomes.

·       Investment in early intervention services for children was important as it would help to prevent more costly and resource intensive intervention in later life.

·       The cost of £1,871,712 to extend the contract would be financed from existing budgets and was therefore financially affordable.

The Assistant Director of Early Help advised that a briefing paper for councillors on Children's Centres was being drafted and would be circulated to the Committee shortly.

RESOLVED

1.      That the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee unanimously agreed to support the recommendations to the Executive as detailed in the report.

2.      That the comments listed above be passed on to the Executive in relation to this item.