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RESOLVED: Cabinet;
 
·      
Recommended to Council that the Executive Director
Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and
Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education and the
Capital & Assets Board be granted authority to amend the
capital programme to create scheme-specific budgets for the
provision of looked after children’s accommodation (including
cases where this is part of a wider scheme) up to a total not
exceeding £20 million as follows:
a)   
Budgets of up to £100k for scheme development
purposes, where there is a reasonable likelihood that the proposal
will result in the creation of a capital asset.
b)   
Budgets as required to deliver a specific scheme
following approval of a scheme business case.
 
·      
Authorised the Assistant Director Assets &
Environment to procure and implement schemes for which such budgets
have been approved.
·      
Requested that the constitution be amended
accordingly.
 
 
REASONS RESOLVED:
 
1.    
To assist in the provision of suitable local
residential placements for West Northamptonshire children and to
support the wider accommodation needs of Northamptonshire
Children’s Trust who place children and young people in
residential accommodation.
2.    
To enable the Council to improve the economy,
efficiency, and effectiveness of its children’s service
residential provision.
3.    
To enable the Council to act with speed in
progressing specific schemes of accommodation.
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
The Council could;

a.    
not make further investments in children's and young
people’s accommodation;

b.    
approve investments on a case-by-case basis,
or

c.    
grant powers to enable swift creation of scheme
budgets, along the lines proposed.
 

Not making further investments seems unwise when
there is potential to couple financial savings, which help the
Council's overall financial position, with service
improvements.