The purpose of the report is to agree the option to commission a single Supplier, through a competitive tender exercise, to deliver two, two bedded children’s residential homes within Herefordshire to increase local sufficiency in line with Herefordshire Council’s Placement Sufficiency Strategy for Children and Young people.

That Cabinet:

a) Approve the commissioning of two, two bedroomed children`s residential homes within Herefordshire, through a procurement exercise up the maximum projected value of £1.3 million annually and £6.3million over a maximum of five years (3yrs with potential extension of 1 year + 1 year) which will provide local placements to four children aged 11-18);

b) Delegate authority to the Corporate Director - Children and Young People to approve all tender documentation;

c) Delegate authority to the Corporate Director – Children and Young People, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Children and Young People, to enter into a contract with the preferred Supplier following the tender exercise;

d) Following Political Group Consultation, approve officers to undertake work to also consider the option to develop an in house provision to further increase local sufficiency for children’s placements. This will require sourcing accommodation via a capital bid, a report will come back to Cabinet at a later date.

1. Do nothing. This is not recommended as it fails to address the identified need to manage arrangements more effectively and to meet the sufficiency requirements.

2. Ongoing work with Suppliers is considered business as usual and does not require specific action. There is no reasonable expectation from other Local Authorities to undertake work within our borders within the required timescale.

3. Options to purchase properties and run a Council owned Children’s Residential Home, manage the market through local engagement or work in partnership with neighbouring LA were considered. At this stage, these options are not recommended as being viable or sufficiently impactful and use of capital funds will delay implementation. As per Councillor political briefing and CLT feedback phase 1 should focus solely on procurement and consideration as to capital projects should follow as phase 2.