Purpose

To approve provision in the capital programme
to develop appropriate children’s services accommodation and
service delivery locations to support Northamptonshire
Children’s Trust (NCT) to deliver services to children and
families in North Northants

Content

RESOLVED
 
KEY DECISION
 
That the Executive.
 

a)     
Noted the Council’s contractual obligations in
the SDC to provide fit for purpose buildings to NCT and regularly
maintain these to an appropriate standard.

 

b)     
Approved that provision for £20,373,780 is made
in the Council’s capital programme to develop appropriate
children’s services accommodation and service delivery
locations supporting Northamptonshire Children’s Trust (NCT)
to deliver services to children and families in North
Northamptonshire.

 

c)     
Delegated authority to undertake the necessary due
diligence and procurement (including the power to enter into any
necessary legal agreements) required to facilitate the following,
subject to business cases approved through the provisions in the
SDC, where required:
 

i)              
Delegated authority to Executive Director of
Children’s Services following consultation with the Executive
Director of Finance & Performance, the Assistant Director of
Assets & Environment, the Executive Member for Children,
Families, Education & Skills and the Executive Member for
Finance & Performance to purchase land and/or properties
for sites to provide children’s
homes, supported and non-supported accommodation for care
leavers,

ii)             
Delegated authority to the Assistant Director of
Assets & Environment following consultation with the Executive
Director of Children’s Services, the Executive Director of
Finance & Performance, the Executive Member for Children,
Families, Education & Skills and the Executive Member for
Finance & Performance to commence all procurement for works or
services necessary to bring into effect the recommendations set out
(i) above.

iii)           
Delegated authority to the Assistant Director of
Assets & Environment following consultation with the Executive
Director of Children’s Services, the Executive Director of
Finance & Performance, the Executive Member for Children,
Families, Education & Skills and the Executive Member for
Finance & Performance to procure and enter into the necessary
contracts to fit out the sites in the NCT Office Accommodation
Strategy.
 

 

d)        
Approved the NCT Office Accommodation Strategy for
North Northamptonshire as set out in this report.

 

e)        
Delegated authority to the Assistant Director of
Assets & Environment to agree the final Head of Terms and
approve an agreement to enter into a lease of 12 Sheep Street in
Wellingborough for office accommodation for NCT.

 

 

 

Reasons for
Recommendations:
 
·      
To allow the Council to deliver its contractual
responsibility to provide NCT with services classed as dependencies
in the SDC which includes providing suitable accommodation for NCT
to deliver its services.
 
·      
To deliver better services and outcomes for the
children and families in North Northamptonshire and meet the
Council’s statutory duties.
 
·      
To support NCT to deliver its savings programme for
2025/26 and in its MTFP.
 
·      
To ensure that the Council’s assets are
maintained to an appropriate standard to deliver safe services to
children and families.
 
·      
To procure and undertake the required works in line
with the Council’s constitution and financial regulations in
relation to governance.

 
Alternative Options
Considered:
 

No alternatives have
been considered because:

·    
The Council has a contractual responsibility to
provide fit for purpose accommodation for NCT to deliver
services.  In addition, NCT’s
£7.5m savings programme over 3 years is critically dependant
on the development of the children’s homes and supported and
independent accommodation for care leavers outlined in this
business case. 
·    
This proposal will assist the Council in fulfilling
its statutory and contractual obligations, therefore it has a duty
to pursue the programme outlined in this report.
·    
The Council taking no action represents a clear and
immediate risk to the Council’s contractual obligations as
set out in the SDC with NCT and has potential significant impact on
the delivery of services to children and their families and
budgets.