Contact: Colin Payne, 01962 547000, [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

a) That the Executive Member for Children and Families provides approval for the negotiation of a single tender service contract for the delivery of a full core offer children's centre service in Havant.

b) This contract be for a period of 3 years, covering the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011 at the contract value identified within the report.

2 Reason

2.1 This decision supports the following Hampshire County Council priorities:

"Making Hampshire safer and more secure for all" - by using a purpose built facility that has been designed to safeguard children e.g. secure Ofsted registered childcare units, providing a stimulating, supportive learning environment for the child, family and wider community.

"Maximising well-being" - by the children's centre becoming a hub of the community. The children's centre will provide direct access, or signposting, to a range of services for children under five and their families to help maintain and improve their quality of life through raising outcomes for children and reducing inequalities between the most disadvantaged and the rest.

Children's centres will provide information and access to opportunities to support families to access jobs, skills and training. This includes support for childcare in disadvantaged areas, helping people get back to work and training.

"Enhancing our quality of place" - through providing a mainstream, co-ordinated service, which responds to, and delivers against, the diverse communities children's centres serve.

2.2 Through the implementation of a service contract, the decision supports the following aims of the Children Act:

_ Being healthy;

_ Staying safe;

_ Enjoying and achieving;

_ Making a positive contribution; and

_ Economic well-being.

These are achieved through providing high-quality integrated services (health, education, family support and childcare), particularly in disadvantaged areas, leading to positive effects for children, families and the wider community, including improved educational outcomes for children and parents; enabling parents to study and work; helping lone parents to access work and training opportunities; reduced crime rates; improved health outcomes and a reduction in child poverty.

3 Other Options considered and rejected

Other options considered and rejected include:

Hampshire County Council managed children's centre

3.1 This option would require Hampshire County Council to adopt the management of the children's centre, resulting in the following implications:

_ `TUPE' arrangements for existing staff.

_ Potential lack of facilities being available due to current lease arrangements.

_ Budget under spend arising from timescales necessary for implementation.

Open tender

3.2 This option would require the identification of an alternative provider through an open tender process, resulting in the following implications:

_ `TUPE' arrangements for existing staff.

_ Potential lack of facilities being available due to current lease arrangements.

_ Budget under spend arising from timescales necessary for implementation.

_ No service being provided during transitional period.

Take no action

3.3 This option is not feasible as a service contract must be in place in order to deliver services for this children's centre.

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted

4.1 None.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 None.

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1 Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor Mrs Patricia Banks

Executive Member for Children and Families