Agenda item - Emergency Agreement to Supplier Relief for Home To School Transport Operators

Report of the Interim Executive Director for Families, Children & Learning.

RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed -

(i)             That the use of officer urgency powers by the Interim Executive Director Families Children and Learning in respect of supplier relief to Home to School Transport providers be noted.

(ii)            That the provision of supplier relief as detailed in the in the report be agreed.

4.1      The Committee considered the report of the Interim Executive Director Families Children & Schools which provided a record of the use of officer urgency powers by the Interim Executive Director Families, Children and Learning in respect of supplier relief to Home to School Transport (HTST) providers.

4.2      Councillor Mac Cafferty noted that some of the HTST providers assisted the authority with additional information about some of the children who either already had social worker support or were on the Council’s radar, and was concerned how that would continue during this crisis and the recovery period. The Interim Executive Director Families Children & Schools said that home to school transport providers did build relationships with the children they transported to and from school. Those children could be some of the most vulnerable children due to their additional needs and specific disabilities. However, that didn’t necessarily translate into a safeguarding concern as they could be classed as a child in need due to their disability under the Children Act. Those providers had a relation with those children and so could become a bridge between home and school, and that was their primary focus rather than performing any kind of safeguarding function.  

4.3      Councillor Bell asked if the new service would be looking at the safeguarding of children and if the new contracts awarded from September would be for the full year. The Interim Executive Director Families Children & Schools said that a report was being prepared for the P&R Committee meeting in May which would set out the delivery model for the home to school transport service, and that would provide the assurance on safeguarding children and said that the existing contracts would be rolled over for the 2020/2021 academic year. 

4.4      RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed -

(i)             That the use of officer urgency powers by the Interim Executive Director Families Children and Learning in respect of supplier relief to Home to School Transport providers be noted.

(ii)            That the provision of supplier relief as detailed in the in the report be agreed.