Agenda item

That the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader of the Council and Commissioner for Education & Children, be given delegated authority to:

i.  Finalise the scope of children’s services that will transfer to the new Children’s Organisation.

ii.  Finalise the legal model for the new Children’s Services company and its incorporation.

iii.  Determine the provisional transfer date and timetable for developing and implementing transfer to the new organisation.

The Chief Executive introduced a report which updated the Cabinet on the progress to date on the Children’s Services transition project and sought delegation to finalise various matters relating to the scope of services to be externalised and legal model for the new organisation.

Commissioners noted that the Memorandum of Understanding between the Council and the Secretary of State for Education which had been considered by Cabinet on 17^th November 2014 had been completed on 21^st November 2014 and a joint project team had since developed a project plan for the transition.  The Council’s approach was to secure the best outcome for vulnerable young people in Slough and this required careful consideration of the scope of services to transfer to the new organisation.  Commissioners noted the services that had provisionally been agreed to be in scope and excluded as detailed in sections 5.7 and 5.8 of the report and were informed that a number of services set out in paragraph 5.9 were still under discussion.  In order to conclude this process in a timely manner, including during the pre-election period, it was proposed and agreed to delegate the finalisation of the scope of services to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the relevant Commissioners.

The Cabinet were also informed that further due diligence and detailed discussions were required before the legal vehicle for the new organisation could be settled with various options under consideration such as a Community Interest Company.  Discussions on the likely date of transfer were also ongoing and the Cabinet were informed that this was potentially from the end of September onwards.  It was proposed and agreed that determination of the transfer date and timetable form part of the delegation.

Resolved –

That the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader of the Council and Commissioner for Education & Children, be given delegated authority to:

(a)  Finalise the scope of children’s services that will transfer to the new Children’s Organisation.

(b)  Finalise the legal model for the new Children’s Services company and its incorporation.

(c)  Determine the provisional transfer date and timetable for developing and implementing transfer to the new organisation.