Decision details

Under the Education Act 1996 the Council is under a duty to provide alternative education for children and young people that are of compulsory school age and have entered the authority with no allocated school place or for those children who require some form of alternative provision outside the mainstream setting. 

The current contract expires on 31 August 2015 and the Cabinet will be asked to approve proposals to procure a new contract to ensure the continuity of service. 

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Agree for the Council to proceed with the procurement of a contract for an Alternative Education Provision (AEP) for a period of five years (three years with an option to extend for a further two years dependent upon funding and satisfactory performance) in accordance with the strategy set out in this report; and

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Schools, the Chief Finance Officer and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to award and execute the contract and other documents on behalf of the Council following the appointment of a provider.