Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: July 15, 2025

Purpose: The Cabinet will be asked to approve an invest-to-save programme of projects to build three registered children’s homes with ‘psychologically informed environments’ within the borough’s geographical footprint, comprising up to seven properties subject to a successful capital match-funding bid to the Department for Education.

Content: Cabinet resolved to:   (i)  Approve the building and commissioning of three specialist children’s homes across seven properties as detailed in the report;   (ii)  Agree the capital loan identified in the report through a self-financing (Invest to Save) model to provide three Council-owned Children’s Homes, as set out in Option 2 in the report;   (iii)  Note the impact on service budgets over the next 10 years of the programme; and   (iv)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Children and Adults, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care and Disabilities, the Strategic Director, Resources, and the Head of Legal, to progress the purchase of the properties referred to in the report, the tendering and award of contracts for the building work and the tendering of the strategic relationship management and staffing agency.