Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

Following consideration of the results of the procurement process, in Part 2 of the meeting, a five year contract supported by a Social Impact Bond be awarded to CT Plus Community to deliver independent travel training.

Reason for decision

A full tender process, in compliance with the requirement of Public Contract Regulations and Procurement Standing Orders has been completed, and the recommendation provides best value for money for the Council, and aims to deliver better outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Children and Education Select Committee]

Mrs Mary Lewis, Cabinet Member for Education explained how Surrey County Council (SCC) was introducing a new travel assistance offer for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), designed to better meet the diverse needs of the county’s pupils through a broader, more flexible range of assistance options.  The first in a wide-ranging package of improvements, independent travel training would equip children and young people with the skills and confidence to travel independently to school, college or placement, where appropriate, building their resilience and preparing them for adulthood. This was a positive move that had been welcomed by parents and young people.

The Council’s existing travel assistance offer is limited to mainly taxi and minibus transport, resulting in an annual cost of nearly £27m that is no longer sustainable.  There is a need for the Council to work together with families, young people, schools, colleges and transport providers to develop a change in culture and approach to home to school travel assistance.  Independent travel training is the first step in this direction, and provides an invaluable opportunity to provide more lasting support to children and young people with SEND, whilst delivering savings to the public purse in the longer term.  Therefore, this is the first in a series of reports due to come to Cabinet concerning SEND transport.

RESOLVED:

That following consideration of the results of the procurement process, in Part 2 of the meeting, a five year contract supported by a Social Impact Bond be awarded to CT Plus Community to deliver independent travel training.

Reason for decision

A full tender process, in compliance with the requirement of Public Contract Regulations and Procurement Standing Orders has been completed, and the recommendation provides best value for money for the Council, and aims to deliver better outcomes for children and young people with SEND.