The Delegated Decisions by Cabinet Member for Children and Young People are scheduled to meet on 16 December 2025. The meeting will consider the re-tendering of the Cross Regional Project partnership, which delivers therapeutic residential care and educational services for children. Councillors will also be asked to declare any interests they may have in the topics to be discussed.

Cross Regional Block Contract

A report by Lisa Lyons, Director of Children's Services, will be presented to Councillor Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, regarding the Cross Regional Project (CRP) contract. The CRP delivers therapeutic residential care and educational services for children aged 11–17 with complex needs. These services are provided across 11 homes in partner counties, offering 36 placements.

The report recommends that Councillor Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, approves:

• The re-tendering of the Cross Regional Project partnership.
• The council’s plan to expand growth in Oxfordshire by increasing the number of block placements from 17 by an additional 8, to a maximum total of 25 placements throughout the ten-year contract period.

The report notes that the re-tendering process is to be aligned with the conclusion of the current service, which is scheduled to end on 31 July 2027.

The Cross Regional Project partnership is formed by Oxfordshire County Council, Buckinghamshire Council, Milton Keynes Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Bedford Borough Council, and Reading Council. Oxfordshire County Council will take the lead in commissioning and procurement activities.

The report states that services are delivered within each participating council's area, with placements arranged by local authorities ideally within 20 miles of the council centre, or as near as possible, to keep children close to their previous home. A registered special school provides education for pupils aged 11–17 across Key Stages 3 to 5¹. The school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has capacity for 36 pupils and is fully utilised.

A new site may be established if demand justifies expanding provision under the contract.

Cross Regional Block Contract

The report also notes that the contract commenced on 1 August 2019, with an initial term of five years, and included an option to extend for an additional three years. It is currently in its second extension year and is scheduled to conclude on 31 July 2027.

The report states that the Cross Regional Contract offers the council and other partners compliant, cost-effective placements, helping to avoid expensive and non-compliant SPOT arrangements².

By re-tendering the CRP contract, the council ensures continuity for the 36 current placements, thereby minimising disruption to young people's care and education.

Cross Regional Block Contract

The new contract will initiate with 36 placements and is expected to expand to incorporate up to 24 additional beds, as well as two new local authorities joining the partnership.

The council must ensure there is sufficient local accommodation for children in its care, as part of its Sufficiency Duty³. Re-tendering the CRP contract will maintain a compliant process for purchasing residential, educational, and therapeutic placements.

The report states that the recent usage rate for Oxfordshire has dropped because one of its vacant beds was sold to Hertfordshire, leading to an increase in Hertfordshire's usage. The bed was sold at the usual rate plus a 5% administration fee. In the future, partners plan to make sales directly with each other, which will remove the 5% administration fee and streamline the process.

The intention is to decrease the current number of SPOT purchased residential placements to enable more children to remain closer to their communities. Of the 75 SPOT placements, only four are within the current CRP boundary. The average cost per placement, per week is £7,641 versus the CRP placement rate of £5,520.

The Cross Regional Project contract supports the DfE's⁴ aim for smarter regional purchasing and is set at £5,520.35 per week per placement, covering care, education, and therapy. For comparison, the average weekly cost of an equivalent like for like SPOT placement made by Oxfordshire is £7,383.50.

The overall contract price is £26,668,257 to the end of Year 7, with year 8 costs yet to be determined.

The report states that the new CRP contract will be procured via an above threshold competitive flexible procedure tender under the procurement act PA2023 to ensure full compliance, transparency and best value for money.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE)[^6] will be applicable to this contract.

The evaluation process will include mandatory disclosure from providers to answer questions regarding their environmental management, carbon emission reduction, circular economy and biodiversity.

To meet growing demand and lower the number of children placed more than 20 miles from home, the council plan to re-tender the CRP service while keeping the current 36-bed capacity. The council will maintain the 17 block placements already procured and will have the option to acquire up to 8 further placements throughout the duration of the contract.

The re-tender of the Cross Regional Project contract will incorporate two of the key priorities set out by the Start Well Commissioning Team and aligns with seven of the priorities set out in the Oxfordshire's Children and Young People's Plan.

Other items

The agenda for the meeting includes:

• Declarations of interest from councillors. Councillors are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registrable interests.
• The minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 September 2025 will be presented for approval.
• Questions from county councillors.
• Petitions and public address.