Issue - meetings

Report of Councillor A Powell, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Communities and Communications.

Key Decision

RESOLVED

(1)            That Cabinet agreed the use of ring-fenced external funding, from Derbyshire County Council (DCC) Public Health, to commission an external organisation or consortium to deliver against pre-defined objectives, which aim to improve the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people, for an initial period of 24 months, from 1 June 2022.

(2)            That the external organisation or consortium be commissioned jointly with Bolsover District Council, in order to achieve the best value for money.

(3)            That the contract be extended beyond June 2024, subject to budget availability from DCC Public Health, or other external funding providers, and the successful delivery of output and outcomes

REASONS FOR DECISION - To enable an organisation or consortium to be appointed that can successfully deliver the identified objectives, offer the best value for money and meet the needs of children and young people living in the District.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - The options of doing nothing or carrying out the work within the Council, without making use of the external funding, were considered but rejected, as not in the interests of the District or the Council.

This is a Key Decision.  The call-in period for the decision will run until Monday 14 March 2022

The report to Cabinet explained that Derbyshire County Council had offered to provide funding to help improve the emotional health and wellbeing of young people. Members were asked to agree this funding and for it to be used to contract an organisation or group of organisations to deliver on a range of objectives, to protect and support the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people. This would include support to those young people whose wellbeing had suffered as a result of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Cabinet considered the report.  Members welcomed the County Council’s offer of financial support and endorsed the proposed approach. Cabinet heard that much of the preparatory work for this initiative had been carried out in conjunction with Bolsover District Council. Members recognised that there would be financial and operational advantages to commissioning the external organisation or organisations in co-operation with Bolsover District Council.

The report to Cabinet made clear that the proposed contract would run for 24 months. Members were asked to support the extension of this contract, provided that further finance was made available by Derbyshire County Council Public Health and that the contracted organisation or organisations had proved to be effective in delivering the set objectives.

RESOLVED

(1)             That Cabinet agreed the use of ring-fenced external funding, from Derbyshire County Council (DCC) Public Health, to commission an external organisation or consortium to deliver against pre-defined objectives, which aim to improve the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people, for an initial period of 24 months, from 1 June 2022.

(2)             That the external organisation or consortium be commissioned jointly with Bolsover District Council, in order to achieve the best value for money.

(3)             That the contract be extended beyond June 2024, subject to budget availability from DCC Public Health, or other external funding providers, and the successful delivery of output and outcomes

REASONS FOR DECISION - To enable an organisation or consortium to be appointed that can successfully deliver the identified objectives, offer the best value for money and meet the needs of children and young people living in the District.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - The options of doing nothing or carrying out the work within the Council, without making use of the external funding, were considered but rejected, as not in the interests of the District or the Council.