Agenda and minutes

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/171

Contact: Paul Gerrish, Interim Deputy Director (Oxfordshire Customer Services) Tel: (01865) 797228

Report by Director for Environment & Economy (CMDDL4).

The Constitution states that Cabinet approval must be obtained before work can be undertaken for third parties.  A number of schools have either converted to academies or are likely to convert to academies.  In addition other council services may be externalised in  future. This places a risk on the the cost and quality of services to the remaining internal services.

In order to mitigate the risk of reducing income levels, approval is sought to undertaking work for any academy or free school or organisations where the relevant services were previously provided directly by the County Council.

This will not fully protect income levels because some academies for example will seek their support services from elsewhere.  In order to further mitigate against the risk of reducing income, it is proposed that work is undertaken for similar organisations, academies and free schools where support services were previously undertaken by an adjacent authority.

The Deputy Leader of the Council is RECOMMENDED to adopt the following policy in order to protect the cost and quality of internal services:

                          i.            work may be undertaken for:

(a)                  Previously maintained schools which have converted to academies;

(b)                  New academies, Free Schools or University Technical Colleges in Oxfordshire;

(c)                   Other educational institutions in Oxfordshire;

(d)                  Any organisation in Oxfordshire providing services for children and vulnerable adults, including work to cover safeguarding issues;

(e)                  Any organisation in Oxfordshire that is providing services that were previously provided directly by the County Council;

(f)                    Any public body in Oxfordshire.

                        ii.            the charges for undertaking such work shall be reviewed each year as part of the Fees and Charges report to the Cabinet; and

                      iii.            work may be undertaken to the same organisations in i. above that are operating in:

(a)              Buckinghamshire;

(b)              Milton Keynes; or

(c)               Other neighbouring local authority areas.

subject to working with the knowledge of and in reasonable co-operation with the relevant local authority, rather than against their wishes.

to adopt the following policy in order to protect the cost and quality of internal services:

i.          work may be undertaken for:

(a)       Previously maintained schools which have converted to academies;

(b)       New academies, Free Schools or University Technical Colleges in Oxfordshire;

(c)        Other educational institutions in Oxfordshire;

(d)       Any organisation in Oxfordshire providing services for children and vulnerable adults, including work to cover safeguarding issues;

(e)       Any organisation in Oxfordshire that is providing services that were previously provided directly by the County Council;

(f)         Any public body in Oxfordshire.

ii.         the charges for undertaking such work shall be reviewed each year as part of the Fees and Charges report to the Cabinet; and

iii.        work may be undertaken to the same organisations in i. above that are operating in:

(a)       Buckinghamshire;

(b)       Milton Keynes; or

(c)        Other neighbouring local authority areas.

subject to working with the knowledge of and in reasonable co-operation with the relevant local authority, rather than against their wishes.