Agenda item

The recommendation for the of award of funding is the culmination of several months’ work by the Youth Task Group that will result in services being commissioned by the local committee in response to local need. The focus of the work will be to reduce the risk factors that are predictors of young people becoming Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET) in Reigate and Banstead.

The Local Committee is responsible for commissioning services to prevent young people becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training within their local area.  The Youth Task Group has recently met and received presentations from a range of potential suppliers.  This papers sets out their recommendation as to who the funding should be awarded to.

(Report attached)

The Committee APPROVED the Youth Task Group recommendation to award a funding agreement for a twenty-four month period from 1 September 2013 to the following provider:

·         Reigate and Redhill YMCA for 100% of the contract value (£139,500 p.a.) to prevent young people from becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in Reigate and Banstead.

REASON:

To support the Council’s priority to achieve full participation; that is, for 100% of young people aged 16 to 19 to be in education, training or employment.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officer attending: Jeremy Crouch, Contracts Performance Officer, Services for Young People

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None

Member Discussion – key points:

·         Dr Zully Grant-Duff, Chairman of the Youth Task Group 2012-13, explained that the Task Group had met with officers from Surrey County Council and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, along with three young people from the borough, to listen to presentations by the shortlisted organisations. Each bid was scored following a question and answer session, and the Task Group unanimously agreed that Reigate and Redhill YMCA was the preferred bidder, based on the variety of activities offered, including an outreach service, and the level of innovation demonstrated. She also noted the contribution of the young people to the discussion and the interesting and effective questions they asked.

·         Clarification was sought regarding the areas of Horley covered, as “Horley East and West and Court Lodge” effectively covered the whole town. The officer replied that this was a recognition of the fact that young people in Horley moved around more than young people in other parts of the borough, and a need to make bidders aware that they would need to deliver in all parts of Horley. Court Lodge Road had been identified as a specific area of need for focused work.

·         Members wished to know the criteria against which the bids had been scored. The officer highlighted paragraphs 2.4 and 2.5 of the report submitted, which set out the salient parts of the needs specification. He explained that bidders were asked to complete a logical framework, demonstrating the outcomes of the work offered. They also needed to meet the National Youth Agency Quality Mark.

·         Mr Michael Gosling, speaking as Cabinet Member for Public Health, noted that the Public Health department had a contract with Virgin Care to provide support and advice on teenage pregnancy, and that the Health and Wellbeing Board had asked all providers to look at mental health needs; he stated that the Local Prevention Framework needed to be in alignment with this work. It was also noted that the borough council had provided core funding to an organisation providing counselling services in schools. The officer reported that a start-up pack was being produced for all providers, including details of other work taking place which they would need to be aware of. He expected that Local Prevention Framework providers would speak to other local providers to ensure that work is joined up and not duplicated.

·         Clarification was sought regarding the current provider of the Local Prevention Framework. The officer informed Members that Redhill and Reigate YMCA currently delivered work in the borough alongside other providers as part of the Surrey Youth Consortium.

Resolution:

The Committee APPROVED the Youth Task Group recommendation to award a funding agreement for a twenty-four month period from 1 September 2013 to the following provider:

·         Reigate and Redhill YMCA for 100% of the contract value (£139,500 p.a.) to prevent young people from becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in Reigate and Banstead.