Issue - meetings

To approve the submission of a tender to deliver Children’s Centres services in Redditch.

(Report attached)

Members were informed that the contracts for the management of the Children’s Centres within the Borough, which at the present time was carried out by the Borough Council and a partner organisation, Redditch YMCA, were due to expire at the end of March 2012. It was proposed that the two organisations submit tenders to continue to deliver Children’s Centres Services from that date.

The Committee noted that there were definite indications that the provision of support through the Children’s Centres was having a positive impact on the skills and abilities of very young children as they entered full-time education. There was less evidence available at present as to how this carried through to achievement at GCSE level and above. It was also noted that socialisation of young children and parents was an important role for the Children’s Centres alongside an improvement in educational attainment.

Officers undertook to provide members of the Committee with further information on the impacts and outcomes from the activities carried out by the Children’s Centres following the meeting.

RESOLVED that

1)         option 2 as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report be approved in relation to the submission of a tender to deliver Children’s Centre services in Redditch subject to the Council being the ‘lead’ organisation if this is required in respect of a partnership bid; and

2)         subject to any tender being successful, a Contract be entered into with Worcestershire County Council.