Purpose

Sefton Council have for some time delivered ICT and associated costs to the Carers Trust. While reviewing payments for this service it became apparent that whilst the Carers Centre pay for some items and services, they were not paying for all of them with the difference being £60k which the Council have continued to pay for a number of years.

Sefton ASC agreed with the Carers Trust that the Council would fund for 25/26 after which they must fund the services themselves.

Decision

Decision(s):

1. The previous ICT funding arrangements for the Carer Trust be noted;
2. The approved one-off retrospective payment of £60,000 for 25/26 to be paid from the Digital Transformation Fund underspend to the Carers Trust, be noted;
3. It be confirmed that Carers Trust must fund the ICT services themselves from 26/27 onwards with no further payments from the Council relating to those ICT services.

Reasons for the recommendation:

Cabinet Member is asked to note the previous arrangements for the Carers Trust ICT services and approve the one-off payment for the continuation of ICT services for 25/26 only by using a proportion of the DFT underspend.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

Option 1.

The option for the Council to continue to pay for these services was considered however this option is not financially viable for the Council. Nor does the Council fund other VCS ICT provision

Option 2.

Consideration was given to the Carers Trust paying the £60,000 for 25/26. This option was considered but rejected given that the Carers Trust had not been given appropriate time to consider how the additional £60,000 would be sourced or provided or time to consider other IT provision.