Decision details

1.     The delegation of function to Cambridgeshire County Council to act as the lead Local Authority in commissioning Independent Advocacy Services for children/young people across Peterborough & Cambridgeshire be authorised from 5^th February 2024 until 4^th February 2027 with the option to extend for 12 months.This shall include the associated transfer of funding to Cambridgeshire County Council of£35,368,00 per annum, totalling a maximum of £141,472.00 over the 4 years period. 

2.    Delegation and Partnering Agreement between Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council be authorised to enable the function to be transferred between the local authorities in respect of this function. 

3.     Cambridgeshire County Council, as the lead authority, enter into a contract with the successfully procured provider for the delivery of this function.   

A CCC led contract for the Children’s Advocacy service across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, wherebyPCC shall delegate the function to CCC, reflects the provider market, allowing providers to run a cost-efficient service across the two Local Authorities. 
 

Separating off the Age Assessment Support and Return Interviews will allow the Advocacy provider to focus entirely on the primary service, with highly skilled specialised providers taking on the smaller services. This will allow the Age Assessment Support and Return Interviews services to be carried out in line with the best practice approaches within the current provider market. 

To do nothing – This has been rejected as PCC has statutory duties to deliver these services, as set out in Appendix A. 

To have a single joint contract, led by either PCC or CCC, for All-Age Advocacy (including Advocacy Services for Adults and Children and Young People) across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire – This has been rejected in order to allow local PCC priorities to be the sole focus of the Independent Advocacy Service for Adults within Peterborough. 
 

To have a single PCC contract for All-Age Advocacy (including Advocacy Services for Adults and Children and Young People) across Peterborough – This has been rejected due to the provider market, with the majority of providers focusing their specialist service on either the Adult service or the Children’s service. A single contract would increase the risk of the provider focus being adult-centric to the detriment of children and young people. 

None.

None.