To seek approval to enter into a partnership with other West Midlands Councils but in particular Staffordshire County Council (acting as lead procurement council) and deliver a Framework for Supported Accommodation Provider Agencies to provide a list of providers and rates for Supported Accommodation Services to be used when 16/17 year olds who are accepted as homeless and treated as in care under section 20 of the Children Act. It also so seeks approval to delegate the decision to enter into contractual arrangements with successful providers in line with the framework terms should it be deemed appropriate to do so.

The framework will not commit the council to any expenditure unless a young person is placed with an agency. The council will utilise the framework on a tiered basis with the most effective providers (in terms of cost and quality) being approached first. However it allows the council certainty in terms of clearly identified fees obtained through a competitive tender process.

Whilst this seeks to reduce the overall cost of supported accommodation care to the council from independent agencies the council will reserve the right not to accept or enter into contractual arrangements with any individual or all providers.