Purpose

To ensure all internal governance for all
Children's commissioning activity for 2025 to 2027 is met and
appropriate approval for all decisions is obtained.

Content

RESOLVED

           
Educational Psychologist:
(i)            
To abandon the procurement of the incomplete FPS for Educational
Psychologists and to call off the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation
(YPO) Framework until 31 March 2027 whilst a full review of the
service is completed.
(ii)          
Delegated authority to be given to the Director of
Children’s Services to make a decision in relation to the
preferred option for delivery following the review to commence 1
April 2027.

 
Independent Travel
Training:
(iii)         
To continue with the current arrangements with Pure Innovations
from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027 to allow a review to take place
and then to retender in Summer 2026 to procure a new contract
starting on 1 April 2027 for a period of three years to 31 March
2030 with the option to extend by two years to 31 March
2032.

 

           
Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service:
(iv)         
To continue with the current arrangements with the Together
Trust from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2026 to allow a review to take
place and approval to enter a joint contract with Stockport MBC,
Rochdale MBC and Trafford Council and retender the Mediation and
Disagreement Resolution Service contract to commence 1 April 2026
to 31 March 2031 for a period of five years with the option to
extend by two years to 31 March 2033.

 

           
Restorative Justice contract:
(v)          
To continue with the current arrangements and extend them from 1
July 2025 to 30 June 2026 for a period of 12 months and approval to
review and retender the Restorative Justice contract with a view to
start a new contract from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2030 for a period
of four years with the option to extend by two years to 30 June
2032.

 

           
Looked After Children Attendance Collection System:
(vi)         
To extend the current core contract with IRIS Education dated 1
September 2023 to 31 August 2026 for a period of 12 months from 1
September 2026 to 31 August 2027 after which a service review will
be completed.
(vii)       
Delegated authority to be given to the appropriate officers to
make a Delegated Officer Decision in relation to the preferred
option for delivery.
(viii)      
To extend the “Add-on” element of the contract for
one academic term from 1 September 2025 to 31 December
2025.

 

           
LAC Post 16 Achievement Co-ordinator:

(ix)       To
direct award the contract to Tameside College of Technology for a
period of five years from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2030 with the
option to extend for two years from 1 August 2030 to 31 July
2032.

 

           
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and
Support Service (SENDIASS):
(x)          
To continue with current funding arrangements to 31 March 2026
to allow time for a full review of the service to take place and a
decision on the best procurement options to be made. 
(xi)         
Delegated authority to be given to the appropriate officers to
make a Delegated Officer Decision in relation to the preferred
option for delivery

 

           
Children with Disabilities Commissioned Services – Flexible
Purchasing System: 
(xii)       
To procure a new open Flexible Purchasing System for the
provision of a range of daytime and overnight support to children
and young people with SEND, physical and sensory disabilities and
their families/carers to commence 1 April 2026 for a period of five
years to 31 March 2031 with the option to extend for a further two
years from 1 April 2031 to 31 March 2033.

 

           
Big Life – Living Well Tameside – All Age Commissioning
Joint Arrangement :
(xiii)      
For a joint award to be made to Big Life – Living Well
Tameside for the delivery of the two projects detailed in Section
10 of the report.  The contract award
will be for the following periods.
 
Staying Close: Period 1
September 2025 to 31 August 2026 for the contract value for
2025/2026 of £0.111m with the option to extend by one year
from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027 (if further funding is
secured).
Get Britain
Working:Period 1 September 2025 to 31 March 2026 for the contract
value for 2025/2026 of £0.624m (Subject to confirmation of
the grant award).
 
Transition Planning:
(xiv)      
To extend the core contract from 1 February 2026 to 31 January
2027 with the option to extend for a further 12-month period from 1
February 2027 to 31 January 2028.

 
Standing Advisory Council
for Religious Education:
(xv)       
That Executive Cabinet note that an arrangement has been entered
into with Pennine Learning for the period 1 September 2025 to 31
August 2026.

 
Alternative Educational
Provision (AP):
(xvi)      
To direct award of a contract commencing 31 July 2025 to 30 July
2026 for a period of twelve months to enable a full review of
Alternative Provision in the borough to take place.

 
Delegated authority to
the appropriate Officers:
(xvii)    
That authority be delegated to the appropriate officers, to
approve the proposed procurement route, following reviews and the
contract awards - following the tenders, via a Delegated Officer
Decision Notice, subject to compliance with the Council’s
Procurement Standing Orders.