Issue - meetings

Special Educational Needs Home to School Transport - Transfer to Medway Norse

 

 

Meeting: 11/02/2014 - Cabinet (Item 19)

19 Special Educational Needs Home to School Transport - Transfer to Medway Norse pdf icon PDF 54 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report provided details of the proposed transfer of management of all existing Special Educational Needs (SEN) transport contracts from Medway Council’s Transport Procurement Unit (TPU) to Medway Norse, including TUPE transfer of appropriate TPU staff.

 

It was noted that the transfer would include set objectives for Medway Norse to extend the savings achieved on the three school sites they will commence in April 2014 across additional school sites (Warren Wood, Brompton Academy, and Rivermead).

 

An addendum report (included within Supplementary Agenda No. 3) provided further details on discussions between the Council and Medway Norse regarding the proposed transfer of staff following the publication of the Cabinet agenda.

 

An exempt appendix contained key information in respect of TUPE information for TPU staff transferring to Medway Norse and those remaining with Medway Council, an analysis of route contracts transferring to Medway Norse for management and possible future consolidation to one operator per school site approach and financial analysis information.

 

Decision number:

Decision:

48/2014

The Cabinet agreed to:

(a)              transfer Special Educational Needs transport route management and notes the transfer of associated TPU staff to Medway Norse with effect from 1 April 2014.

(b)              the novation or assignment to Medway Norse of existing contracts for Special Educational Needs Transport.

(c)              the commencement of a procurement for Write Trak transport, Respite transport and a new Spot Purchase Transport Framework.

Reasons:

 

Transferring the management of all SEN route contracts to Medway Norse will ensure that the SEN transport service remains with one organisation. It will also allow Medway Norse to effectively mobilise the extension of the one operator per school approach and any additional savings this may achieve. Retendering the Write Trak, Respite and spot purchased transport requirements will ensure that the most cost effective operators is secured for the service.