Issue - decisions

Secure Children's Home for London and Pan London Commissioning Vehicle

20/01/2023 - Secure Children's Home for London and Pan London Commissioning Vehicle

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            approval, in principle, that Harrow Council becomes a member of a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, provisionally to be known as the Pan London Vehicle (PLV), be given in order to:

 

(a)    develop and then oversee the running of London’s secure children’s home (SCH) provision for a five-year period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028, with a break-point after three years once the refreshed business case had been developed as well as the service pricing structure, commissioning approach, operating model, practice model and the SCH’s location was confirmed, noting that once the provision had launched, membership would be at a fixed annual cost of £20K (subject to inflation adjustment), unless an alternative model for funding the PLV, that did not require annual subscription, was agreed by Members during the development phase and

 

(b)    collaborate with other PLV members on future joint commissioning programmes;

 

(2)            commitment in principle to joint oversight and risk/benefit sharing of the secure children’s home provision, through the PLV, for a five-year period to 31 March 2028 (with three-year break point),that included the build, service development and service commissioning phases, subject to ratification after the revision of the SCH business case, and renewable on a ten yearly cycle thereafter, with break-point after five years, be agreed;

 

(3)            the decision to appoint directors to the company and make any appointments to an external Joint Committee (should it be required), be subject to Full Council’s approval;

 

(4)            the Director of Children Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Children’s Services, Finance & Human Resources, the Director of Finance and the Monitoring Officer, be authorised to:

 

(a)    finalise the legal documents required to set up, join and run the PLV and

 

(b)    make the final determination on the Council’s membership of the PLV, following completion of the revised SCH business case and, if appropriate, enter into all the legal agreements, contracts and other documents on behalf of the Council required to implement and run any aspect of the PLV arrangements.

 

Reason for Decision:  To ensure that that Harrow had access to secure children’s home provision and was a member of the PVL that would commission the provision and overtime expand their commissioning functions to improve the outcome for vulnerable children and young people.