Issue - meetings

(a)        That Cabinet agree in principle that Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council as part of its commissioning process for ‘information and advice’ and ‘infrastructure support’ services join the PSCiP programme.

(b)        That subject to agreement funding approximate to £163,000 of the possible £248,510 commissioning budget in years 2013/14 and 2014/15 be allocated to the PSCiP programme, this sum being paid to Staffordshire County Council who will commission the delivery of the service for the period highlighted.

(c)        That your officers support PSCiP staff in the drafting of service outlines to reflect the needs of residents of the borough in the delivery of an ‘information and advice’ and ‘infrastructure support’ service.

(d)        That your officers establish and agree as part of the work suitable reporting on outcomes to ensure delivery of a responsive service for residents of the borough.

(e)        That in delivering the above objectives opportunities, as part of the aggregation of spend and delivery of a collaborative solution delivers savings for the authority.

A report was submitted to inform Cabinet of the work and outcomes of the Third Sector Commissioning Framework Project Group, to identify the opportunities (where available) for joining the collaborative approach being adopted as part of the Public Sector Commissioning in Partnership (PSCiP) work, to maximise efficiencies and to jointly commission services with other organisations, ensuring in the process that there is no detrimental effect on the overall service to residents of the Borough in line with service outlines.

The report had been discussed by the Active and Cohesive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 14^th June 2012 and the Chair of that Committee raised the following concerns:

• That Newcastle under Lyme and Kidsgrove needed to be protected and that there were concerns that money would be allocated only to known hotspots.
• That if money was centralised at the County Council, the Borough would have no say as to where it would be spent.
• That that it was unknown which organisations would be putting in bids or as to whether these would be for profit or not for profit organisations.
• The majority of other local authorities appeared to be taking a back seat at this stage and that it should be 100% buy in from all.

The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Town Centres stated that limitations would be applied through heads of terms and that these would hopefully satisfy the concerns raised. It was also confirmed that the Scrutiny Committee would be consulted further before any final decision was made.

Cabinet thanked the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved:      (a)        That Cabinet agree in principle that Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council as part of its commissioning process for ‘information and advice’ and ‘infrastructure support’ services join the PSCiP programme.

(b)        That subject to agreement funding approximate to £163,000 of the possible £248,510 commissioning budget in years 2013/14 and 2014/15 be allocated to the PSCiP programme, this sum being paid to Staffordshire County Council who will commission the delivery of the service for the period highlighted.

(c)        That your officers support PSCiP staff in the drafting of service outlines to reflect the needs of residents of the borough in the delivery of an ‘information and advice’ and ‘infrastructure support’ service.

(d)        That your officers establish and agree as part of the work suitable reporting on outcomes to ensure delivery of a responsive service for residents of the borough.

(e)        That in delivering the above objectives opportunities, as part of the aggregation of spend and delivery of a collaborative solution delivers savings for the authority.