Decisions

(1)  That the formation of a Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) between Lincolnshire County Council and Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council, Rutland Council, and North Lincolnshire Council be approved, operating as a partnership under a contractual Interagency Partnership Agreement under the title “Family Adoption Links”.

(2)  That the "hub" and "spoke" structure of the Family Adoption Links RAA and the split of responsibilities between the RAA "hub" and individual local authorities, as set out in the tables contained in section 3.2 of the Business Case attached at Appendix A to the Report, be approved.

(3)  That approval be given to Lincolnshire County Council hosting:-

(a)     The Family Adoption Links "hub" as described in paragraph 9 of the Report; and

(b)     The pooled budgets referred to in paragraphs 25 to 27 of the Report.

(4)  That the Council's financial contribution to the Family Adoption Links Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) budget for 2020/21 and 2021/22 be approved, in the form of:-

(a)    a direct contribution of £0.035m per year towards the costs of the "hub" to be allocated to the actual pooled budget referred to in paragraph 27 of the Report; and

(b)    100% of Adoption Services budgets being allocated to the RAA on a virtual pooled basis as described in paragraphs 25 and 26 of the Report.

(5)  That the Executive Director - Children's Services, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services, be delegated authority to the taking of all further decisions in relation to the formation of the Family Adoption Links Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) including authority to determine the final form and the entering into of the final Interagency Partnership Agreement.