Decisions

We were recently awarded the Delivering Better Value grant to the value of £1m. In the application we set out £300k to commission the Thrive Approach for all Halton schools. This is a transformational approach to service delivery based on Trauma Informed Practice. It trains up specialist practitioners in educational settings and provide online support and network. The approach is proven to reduce exclusions and suspensions and improve both attendance and attainment for vulnerable learners.
Thrive are an independent provider, the only UK company who can provide this service directly to schools, covering all aspects of Trauma Informed Practice. Thrive are accredited by the DfE.
The grant application specifically committed us to commission Thrive to deliver this and was agreed on that understanding. No other company that can provide the level and scale of service that we require. Executive board do not meet until June, but we need to commence this work now, in line with the DBV implementation plan. We need urgent approval to sign the contract, so that the work can commence. It will take two years to roll this out across all settings, and the work must commence as soon as possible, so wave 1 are ready for September. The DBV timeframe is very aggressive and we are being monitored by the DfE and CIPFA to ensure that we are delivering to schedule. We need to commence now to comply with the schedule. Our legal team have agreed that this can be done via Procurement Standing Order 1.14.2 – Emergency Procedures, this option would be for Stephen Young to use his delegated authority to make an urgent decision on the matter.
A retrospective report will go to Executive Board (EB) at the next planned meeting in June 2024. The Waiver will be completed and returned to Procurement for verification before seeking approval from EB.

The Council has been allocated £1.3m from the Government’s Household Support Fund (tranche 5) for the six month period 1st April 2024 to 30th September 2024. This is intended to support the Borough’s most vulnerable households, especially those with children and pensioners.

Discussions have been held with relevant officers from across the Council and also with colleagues from the Voluntary Sector, to identify areas where the grant funding might be targeted to best meet the needs of the Borough’s most vulnerable households.

The attached report presents the results of that work and includes a Spending Plan, to ensure spending is properly managed and reported upon in accordance with recently received Government guidance.

There is a need to put arrangements in place as soon as possible now, to ensure the funding is fully utilised and delivered promptly. In particular, there is a need to procure free school meals vouchers in time for the Summer half-term school holiday.

Therefore urgent approval is sought to enable the Scheme and Spending Plan to be implemented as soon as possible.

Following notification on 26th March 2024 from the Department for Education of a further allocation of £2.1M High Needs Provision Capital Funding, and previous consultation with all schools regarding the need to expand Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision in Halton, the additional funding received now allows for the progression of previously discussed capital works to expand SEND provision in Halton to meet need.

The priority project is the expansion of Brookfields School (a special school in Widnes for pupils with severe and complex learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders, and part of the Shaw Education Trust) on the Hallwood Park Primary School site in Runcorn at a cost of circa £600k, to ensure additional places are available for September 2024 to meet need.

Due to capital project lead in time, appointment of contractors, and the need to have the works completed by the end of August 2024, awaiting the June Executive Board meeting would delay commencement of the works by circa 6 weeks, may prove difficult to obtain contractors at such short notice to undertake required works progressing into the school summer holiday period, and is likely to impact on increased costs of works should there be any delay in commencement, and if not completed, may mean the placement of children at expensive out-borough educational provision and associated transport costs.

The request is to approve spend from the High Needs Provision Capital Allocation from the DfE to allow for the capital works to progress to create additional SEND provision at Hallwood Park Primary School as part of the Brookfields School SEND offer from the Hallwood Park site from September 2024.