To approve proposals for the delivery of children’s centre services for the Bromyard area from October 2018.

Services are currently provided by an external provider under contract, which is due to end on 30 September 2018.

There are differences in the way that resources are allocated across the county. There is also some variation in performance against key children centre service objectives.  It is intended to procure a new service on a tapered funding basis that will align the resources allocated for the Bromyard area to those elsewhere by March 2021, which will be linked to improving performance within a strategic management approach involving all children’s centre services across Herefordshire.

That:

(a)        resources for the provision of children’s centre services in the Bromyard area be tapered to align with other parts of Herefordshire, based upon the population of 0-5 year olds, reducing from £65k in 2018/19 to £25k per year by March 2021

(b)        a procurement exercise be  undertaken to secure a provider for the service with effect from 1 October 2018 (or a soon as possible thereafter) to 31 March 2021;

(c)        the Director for Children’s Wellbeing be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the above recommendations; and

(d)      Contingency is made of £20,000 to support potential costs of service redesign during the contract period.

1.          Direct award of a new contract to the incumbent provider. The service has not been openly tendered since 2012. Market testing has shown that there are other potential external providers, therefore, this option would not be recommended because of the risk of legal challenge to such an award.

2.          Transfer the service to the management of the council from 1 October 2018. Bromyard is the only part of the county where the service is provided externally, which has led to variation in delivery and performance. It is estimated that sufficient service for the Bromyard area could be delivered at a cost of £23,000 per year.  A planned review of Herefordshire’s early help strategy will consider how children’s centre services could be developed and resourced as part of Herefordshire’s evolving early help offer across the  county as a whole.