Agenda item

In welcoming the report, Councillor Sue Macmillan gave a brief background outlining the purpose of the report and the proposed action by the Administration to tackle the failings of the passenger transport service for children who have special educational needs (SEN), looked after children and vulnerable adults commissioned in April 2014 by the previous Administration.

She stated that the new service model particularly during the initial weeks of operation faced immediate operational challenges leading to health and safety concerns, safeguarding concerns, delays in picking up and dropping off, unduly lengthy journeys, serious communication issues, lack of correct equipment, turnover of staff and general issues of performance.

A number of parents outlined their concerns about the service to Members at the Children and Education Policy and Accountability Committee meeting on 8^th July 2014.  The Administration promised to resolve the identified problems.  In response, a Passenger Transport Working Party for Children’s Services was set up to advise the Council on how to secure the best quality of transport provision, which meets the needs of children concerned, within a budget which the Council deems affordable.  Detailed consultation took place with service users, parents and carers, to gather views on the Passenger Transport Working Party’s recommendation to facilitate changes required to deliver a Travel Care and Support services.

The report outlined two options to improve service delivery arrangements for Travel Care and Support services.  The Administration proposed a change to the existing delivery arrangements to improve service standards and sovereign accountability. This covered a revised vision for the service with emphasis on caring for and understanding travel and mobility needs, varying the Inter-Authority Agreement (IAA) between the Council, Westminster City Council (WCC) and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) to improve quality and performance standards, provide Travel Care and Support Commissioning Managers on-site with the providers to oversee operational delivery and performance, ensure Schools and parents play an increasing role in commissioning arrangements and that robust assurance management and contract management framework are in place.

She noted that the vision and aspiration for the Travel Care and Support service was first and foremost about caring for, and understanding the travel and mobility needs of vulnerable adults and children, rather than just about providing transport.  If after 6 months the measures put in place does not prove successful in improving the service further consideration should be given to changing the delivery model of the Travel Care and Support service to return both transport and escort services to the management of the Council.

The Leader stated that he was shocked when he was informed of the poor level of service provided to residents when he had been previously assured that all was going well.  He commended the excellent leadership provided by all the Members who had put a lot of effort to design a new delivery model and finding solutions to this perennial problem.  There were real lessons to be learnt from this experience across the Council.

RESOLVED:

1.1          That improvements in the service delivery arrangements for the Travel Care and Support service can be achieved through Option B, including:

•        Revised vision for the service – emphasis on caring for and understanding travel and mobility needs.

•        Seeking to vary the Inter-Authority Agreement (IAA) between the Council, Westminster City Council (WCC) and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) (collectively the “three Boroughs”), or associated contract arrangements for the Council, to improve quality and performance standards

•        Travel Care and Support Commissioning Managers on-site with providers to oversee operational delivery and performance.

•        School and parents to play an increasing role in commissioning arrangements.

•        Robust assurance management and contract management framework.

1.2       That the following costs be approved:

·         One-off implementation costs - £180,000

·         Establishing new commissioning and management arrangements -£442,127 [for the first year] and thereafter £375,460 per annum.

1.3       That the recommendations in the exempt report be agreed.

1.4       That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Children and Education and the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care to make ancillary decisions necessary to give effect to the above recommendations.