Decision details

The Cabinet will be asked to consider proposals to tender / outsource Sue Bramley Children’s Centre Day Nursery

The Cabinet Member for Children and Education presented a report on the proposal to commence a tendering exercise for the procurement of a provider of day-care nursery services at Sue Bramley Children’s Centre, Thames View, Barking.

The Cabinet Member explained that the three Council-run nurseries - the other two being at Abbey and John Perry Children’s Centres - are subsidised by the General Sure Start Early Years and Childcare Grant but the Government’s recent Comprehensive Spending Review will inevitably result in significant cuts to this funding.  In anticipation of this, officers conducted a review of the services aimed at ensuring their long-term sustainability and the service at the Sue Bramley Centre was considered to be the most attractive to external providers at this point in time due to its location within a major area of regeneration and its long waiting list for places.  The Cabinet Member added that the staff at the Sue Bramley Centre will transfer to the remaining two Council-run sites.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council in achieving its Community Priority of “Inspired and Successful” by ensuring the future sustainability of the nursery, to:-

 (i)  The procurement of a provider of day-care nursery services for Sue Bramley Children’s Centre Day Nursery on the terms detailed in this report;

(ii)  Authorise the Corporate Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources and Legal Partners, to award the contract and coterminous lease for Sue Bramley Children’s Centre Day Nursery Services to the preferred bidder directly upon successful completion of the tender process; and

(iii)  Note that a further report will be presented to Cabinet in relation to the future provision of the Council-run nursery services at the Abbey and John Perry Children’s Centres.