Content

Salford City Council – Record of
Decision
 
I Councillor Youd, Lead Member
for Finance and Support Services and chairman of the Procurement
Board, in exercise of the powers contained within the
Council Constitution
do hereby:
 
·     
approve the extension of the Contract
forthe Targeted Support to Help Salford Young People Engage in
Appropriate and Compliant Education, Employment and Training
Provision Service in order to continue delivery of the NEET support
for young people programme, as detailed in
the table below:
 

Detail required

Answers

Contract Reference

Title/Description of Contracted
Service/Supply/Project

Targeted Support to Help Salford Young People Engage
in Appropriate and Compliant Education, Employment and Training
Provision

Name of Contractor

Career Connect

Type of organisation

(to be supplied by Corporate
Procurement)

Registered Charity

Status of Organisation

(to be supplied by Corporate
Procurement)

SME

Value of Contract Extension
(£)

£153,648 full project

Existing Contract Term

 
01/01/2024 – 31/03/2026

Extension Period

01/04/2025 – 30/09/2025

Contact Officer (Name &
number)

SARAH SCANLAN

Lead Service Group

Place

Funding Source

External Funding Source (please identify
below)

 

GMCA Reserves

Ethical Contractor (EC): Mayor’s
Employment Charter

EC: Committed to sign the
Charter

EC: Accredited Living Wage
Employer

 
The
reasons are:
GMCA
have allocated £22 million to the People and Skills
investment priority from the national UK Shared Prosperity Fund
(UKSPF), to be matched by £16.68m in recycled Local Growth
Funds.
 
One
of the programmes of activity within this theme is focused on
engaging those people furthest away from the labour market,
including NEET young people (aged 15-18 years and up
to 25 with young people with SEN, and 21 if care experienced) who
are disengaged from mainstream education, work and skills
services.
 
GMCA
agreed to directly grant fund local authorities for the NEET
element of the UKSPF People and Skills investment priority and
Salford was allocated £470,000 for the period of
1st October 2023 – 31st March 2025 to
deliver specific output and outcome targets. This grant funding was
used to enhance our commissioned Targeted Young Person’s
service which was awarded to Career Connect.
 
GMCA
have now agreed to extend the UKSPF delivery model through the use
of  GMCA reserve funding totalling
£156,000 for the period 1st April 2025 to
30th September 2025.
 
As
the current UKSPF funded NEET Support Programme is delivered
through our existing Targeted Support for Young People service
delivered by Career Connect,  it is
proposed that we passport the additional GMCA reserve funding
through a contract extension (variation) of £153,648 into
this existing Salford contract.
 
This
will allow us to continue to enhance our local service offer over a
longer period, ensure continuity of support for young people by
building on the existing UKSPF programme through continued staffing
resources, and allow us to respond to the needs of Salford young
people in a more timely and proactive way. This will also provide
value for money and avoid confusion.
 
Please note that the remainder of the funding allocation
(£2,352) will be used by the Skills and Work team to provide
additional activity-based provision which supports young people who
are NEET.
 
Options
considered and rejected were:
The existing service delivery
is already underway, including staffing resources
allocated.  This extension funding will
be most appropriate to include into existing service delivery for
the extended period stated to September 2025, which complements our
core council funded service for young people. This will provide
continuity and security for the frontline delivery staff, some of
which are Salford residents. Therefore, no other options have been
considered.
 
Assessment of risk:
The additional GMCA
reserve funding will provide enhanced targeted support for young
people who are NEET/ at risk of becoming NEET for a longer
duration. Any delays in agreeing the procurement arrangements for
the resources could de-stabilise the current UKSPF NEET service
delivery in Salford.
 
The
source of funding is:
The Budget that will
meet the cost of the scheme is through GMCA.
 
Legal advice obtained: Yes – supplied
by Tony Hatton 219 6323, on
06.09.24.
 
Financial advice obtained: Yes – supplied
by Luba Velychko, Accountant,
Place.
 
Procurement advice obtained: Yes
– supplied by The Corporate Procurement Team, Emma Heyes, Category Manager, on
06.09.24.
 
HR advice obtained: N/A.
 
Climate change implications obtained: N/A.
 
The following documents have
been used to assist the decision process:
·     
UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for NEET Young
People – Commissioning Proposals – Report to
Lead Member for Children And Young
People’s Services on 31st
August 2023.
 
·     
Approval to Award the Contract for
Targeted Support to Help Salford
Young People Engage in Appropriate and Compliant Education,
Employment and Training Provision  -
Report to Procurement Board on
13th September 2023.
 
·     
UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for NEET Young
People – Extension to delivery through GMCA reserve funding -
Report to the Lead Member for Skills & Work and Business
Support Services on 11th September 2024.

Contact details:
Contact Officer: Sarah Scanlan   
Email: sarah.scanlan@salford.gov.uk
 
Please delete from the bullets
below any which are not relevant:
·     
This matter is also subject to consideration by the
Lead Member for Skills & Work, Business and Workforce
·     
Lead Member has been consulted and is supportive of
the proposed contract.
·     
This matter is also subject to consideration by the
Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s
Services.
·     
The appropriate Scrutiny Committee to call-in the
decision is Children’s.
 
 

Signed:    Cllr J
Youd          Dated:
   14 October
2024.
           
   Lead Member
 

FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE ONLY
 
*          
This decision was published on 14 October 2024
*          
This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 21 October 2024
unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.