Decision details

In order to meet the requirements of the Direction made by the Secretary of State, Department for Education (DfE) on 17th December 2019, the County Council will take steps for a range of its Children’s Services to be delivered through an alternative delivery model (referred to as a Children’s Trust). The detailed proposals for the establishment and operation of the Trust and its relationship to the County Council will be described in a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council and the DfE.

It is expected that this document will be concluded during October 2020, with a view to planning for the operation of the Trust to take effect during 2021.

The Cabinet will take a decision on the proposed scope of services to be included in the proposed Trust and the programme of work for the establishment of the Trust and other critical aspects of the project which need to be included in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Following consideration of the report, Cabinet resolved to:

1.   Approve the proposals for the principal provisions for the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Education as the basis for the establishment of a Children’s Trust in accordance with the direction given to the Council by the Secretary of State for Education

2.   Give authority to the Chief Executive to sign the Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Education based on the proposals for inclusion as approved by the Cabinet.

The call-in deadline is 29 October 2020.