Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration presented a report on the proposal for the Council to lead on a joint procurement, with the London Borough of Redbridge, for the provision of private hire vehicle transport services (with and without Passenger Assistants) for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and vulnerable adults.

The Cabinet Member explained that the Department for Education was in the process of reviewing its guidance to local authorities in respect of home-to-school travel and transport.  Therefore, any changes to the statutory guidance would be reflected in the procurement arrangements, with the new service expected to commence from 1 September 2020.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Agree that the Council acts as the lead borough for the procurement of a four-year framework contract, on behalf of itself and the London Borough of Redbridge, for the provision of private hire transport services (with and without passenger assistants) for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and vulnerable adults, in accordance with strategy set out in the report; and

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Director of People and Resilience, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Law and Governance, to award and enter into the contract and access agreements.