Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

That an immediate eight-week public consultation, involving young people who use services, families, providers and partners, about proposals to change Surrey’s externally commissioned young people’s early help services be approved.

Reasons for Decisions:

This is recommended so that:

    i.       The Council fulfils its duty to consult about proposed changes to services, through a proportionate eight-week consultation period now, given the urgent need to realise savings during 2017/18 and allowing three-months of notice to current providers about any changes to services;

   ii.       Young people, families, providers and partners who are affected by proposed changes have an opportunity to share their views about the proposed options and possible alternatives;

  iii.       Appropriate action can be taken, as far as is reasonably possible, to mitigate the impact of any changes on providers, young people, families and communities; and

iv.    Cabinet is supported to make a fully informed decision about proposed changes to current grants and contracts.

[The decision on this item may be called in by either the Council Overview Board or the Social Care Services Scrutiny Board]

Surrey County Council is transforming its early help offer for children, young people and families, increasing integration to provide holistic support to the whole family, securing the best possible value for money for residents and realising lasting improvements in outcomes for the most vulnerable. This change is being delivered at a time when unprecedented financial pressures are being faced, stemming from decreasing funding from central government and underlying growth in demand for Council services. It is therefore vital to continue investing in early help services that realise not only the best outcomes but also offer the best value for money.

The Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement said that in light of this approach, this report sought agreement to launch a public consultation exercise about proposals to change Surrey County Council’s externally commissioned young people’s early help services. These changes would need to achieve a saving of £0.25 million during 2017/18 and at least a further £0.2 million in 2018/19. A report, setting out the consultation response, would be brought back to Cabinet on 30 May 2017 for a final decision.

She informed Members that there were five options set out within the report, including preferred option 1 and the reasons for the preferred option, namely, that it had the least degree of detrimental impact on both outcomes for the most vulnerable young people and the Council’s approach to transforming early help in Surrey.

She confirmed that there had been a typo in the ‘What happens next’ section of the report and that it was an eight (not six) week consultation period, as stated in the recommendation of the report.

RESOLVED:

That an immediate eight-week public consultation, involving young people who use services, families, providers and partners, about proposals to change Surrey’s externally commissioned young people’s early help services be approved.

Reasons for Decisions:

This is recommended so that:

    i.       The Council fulfils its duty to consult about proposed changes to services, through a proportionate eight-week consultation period now, given the urgent need to realise savings during 2017/18 and allowing three-months of notice to current providers about any changes to services;

   ii.       Young people, families, providers and partners who are affected by proposed changes have an opportunity to share their views about the proposed options and possible alternatives;

  iii.       Appropriate action can be taken, as far as is reasonably possible, to mitigate the impact of any changes on providers, young people, families and communities; and

iv.    Cabinet is supported to make a fully informed decision about proposed changes to current grants and contracts.