Content

RESOLVED: Cabinet;

a)   
Agreed to proceed with the procurement of a Case Management
System for Education Services in WNC, at an estimated contract
cost, including licences, hosting, and annual fees, of up to
£300k per annum for up to seven years (totalling
£2.1m).

b)   
Agreed to an additional estimated one-off funding of
£950k to implement the Case Management System for Education
Services, over a period of two years.

c)   
Delegated authority to the Executive Director of People
Services, in liaison with the Executive Director of Finance and the
Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Education and Skills, to
take forward these recommendations to procure and implement the
Case Management System and to utilise the most appropriate funding
source for the implementation costs.
 
REASONS RESOLVED:

1.   
Procuring and implementing a new Case Management System will
ensure The Council is able to meets the statutory obligations for
delivering Children’s Education Services with a system that
is fit for purpose and reflects the needs of the Council and
families across West Northamptonshire.

2.   
The proposal will enable the Council to conduct a procurement
exercise, in compliance with procurement and contract procedure
rules, and implement a Case Management that is available on the
market from a supplier that has proven experience and knowledge of
the Education Services delivered by local authorities.

3.   
The redesign of the system will support the services wider
programme of transformation enabling efficiencies to be generated
alongside more effective use of data.
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

·        
Option 1: Do Nothing – Not recommended. This option
would see the service undertaking no activity in relation of
procurement of a replacement system for Education Services. Scope
for improvements and efficiencies would be minimal. At the end of
the current Capita contracting period (March 2026) there would be
an option to extend the existing system contract for a minimum term
of 3 years, this is a significant risk to the Council as this
option could result in legal challenges from other
suppliers.

·        
Option 2: Conduct a procurement exercise for the Education
Service Case Management System and implement a new solution –
Recommended. This option requires a competitive procurement process
to be undertaken for the WNC Education Services Case Management
System. The process would look at the current marketplace for these
systems and then go through a process to ensure a solution that
meets the requirements of DTI, and the service is found. The
redesign and implementation would provide the opportunity to
optimise the use of a system within the Services and to embed a new
system ownership culture. This solution is supported by both Legal
and Procurement.

·        
Option 3: Use of an existing system – Not Recommended
This Option explores the use of systems within WNC to meet the
needs of Education Services. There are no other systems currently
in use in the Council that meets the requirements of Education
Services.