Decisions

Salford City Council - Record of Decision

I Councillor John Merry, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services, in exercise of the powers contained within the Elected City Mayor’s Register of Executive Functions delegated to Lead Members do hereby approve:

·         The appointment of Ursula Gill as Fostering Panel Social Work Member with effect from March 2021.

The Reasons are:

The Fostering Panel is required to meet the requirements of the Fostering

Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services which outlines the need for independent panel members;

Constitution and membership of fostering panel 23. — (1) The fostering service provider must maintain a list of persons who are considered by them to be suitable to be members of a fostering panel (“the central list”), including one or more social workers who have at least three years’ relevant post-qualifying experience.

Ursula has worked within a fostering setting both IFA and Local authority for a number of years and have developed a number of skills during this time.

In her current role at Bolton Council she has experience of the placement of children in adoptive and foster families. Part of my role includes matching the foster families she supports with referrals the team receive for children coming into care. Her experience and training have enabled her to gain understanding of how separation and loss can affect children and young people. She works hard with foster carers to ensure they too have a good level of understanding around this as they then can understand some of the behaviours our looked after children can display and the reasons behind this.

Ursula routinely completes annual reviews and fostering assessments in her current role so understands the role of the Fostering Panel. Ursula appears to have the skills to be able to read, process and analyse large amounts of complex information. She and her referees report that she has good listening and communication skills which have been developed through her role as a Supervising Social Worker. Through her experience of presenting numerous assessments to panel Ursula considers that she could make an assessment and form a view based on the written and oral information presented to Panel and have the confidence to articulate this at Panel.

In her current and previous roles Ursula has worked as part of a team. She seemingly has a good work ethic and Is personable.

Options considered and rejected were:

This is a statutory requirement in order for the council to carry out its Fostering Agency functions. The Fostering Panel needs to meet the requirements for membership and quoracy.

Assessment of Risk:

·         No risks identified.

·         Confidentiality statement will be signed as well and discussions re conflict of interest and declaring any conflicts.

The source of funding is:

Fostering Panel budget already in place. No increase in expenditure.

Legal Advice obtained: Not applicable

Financial Advice obtained: Not applicable

Procurement Advice obtained: Not applicable

HR Advice obtained: Not applicable

Climate Change Advice obtained: Not applicable

The following documents have been used to assist the decision process:

·         Application form

·         DBS check

·         References x 2

·         SW England Registration checked. 

Contact Officer:  Nola Metcalfe (Fostering Panel Advisor)                       

Telephone number:  07816084353

(Please delete from the list below any which are not relevant.)

·         This decision is not subject to consideration by another Lead Member.

·         The appropriate scrutiny to call-in the decision is the Children’s Scrutiny Panel

For Democratic Services use only

This decision was published on  09.04.21                                           

This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 16.04.21                                                   unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.

Salford City Council - Record of Decision

I Councillor Hinds, Lead Member for Finance and Support Services and chairman of the Procurement Board, in exercise of the powers contained within the Council Constitution do hereby approve the award of the contract as outlined in the table below:

The Reasons for the tender are that the buildings require a best in class approach to management to secure the best covenant of occupier for the building to ensure the property is a success. The management of Grade A office space is a specialist area and is provided by a small number of consultants within the property market.

Options considered and rejected were:

1.     Extend the current arrangements

The buildings are currently managed by Knight Frank ( 1 & 2 New Bailey) under an existing 3 year appointment which has now reached the end of its term and CBRE 100 Embankment, under a temporary appointment that was made prior to the practical completion of the building. Both these arrangements no longer meet procurement rules and as such have been re tendered.

2.     Bring the management in house

The management of Grade A office space is a specialist area and SCC do not have the in-house capability to deliver this service. Further more the appointment of an external manging agent reduces the costs and risks associated with these services to SCC

Assessment of Risk

The financial risk to the Council is mitigated by the fee for the property management services being recoverable from the occupiers of the two buildings as part of the building service charge.  Over 65% of the costs of the management fee for 2 New Bailey Square are already covered as a result of the lettings which have taken place in that building to date.  As yet, no occupiers are confirmed for 100 Embankment so all the running costs are payable by the Council.  However, as the building does not have tenants, the full suite of services is not being provided so the running costs will be reduced until tenants take occupation.

The level of running costs for the building will be kept under review with the managing agent.  This is both to ensure unnecessary expenditure is minimized as far as possible but also to ensure that the service charge level remains competitive with other similar buildings.  The overall costs of occupation are high on the list of criteria considered by potential building occupiers so the day to day management has a direct effect on the attractiveness of the building.

The source of funding

The appointments will be funded initially through the building service charges with the Council, as landlord, paying a proportion based on the vacant areas within each building.

As part of the original 2017 approval for the Council to be involved with both buildings, model cashflow projections were prepared which included annual revenue sums for the running costs of both buildings.  These were based on cautious, realistic and optimistic scenarios.  Both buildings are currently either in line with or bettering the realistic forecast scenarios.

Legal Advice obtainedSupplied by: Tony Hatton, Principal Solicitor

When commissioning contracts for the procurement of goods, services or the execution of works, the Council must comply with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as well as its own Contractual Standing Orders (CSO’s), Financial Regulations and the duties of Best and Social Value. In addition, the PCR require that contracting authorities treat candidates equally and in a non-discriminatory way and act in a transparent manner, failing which the award of a contract may be subject to legal challenge.

The procurement procedure undertaken in this matter including publication on the Chest portal appears robust and compliant with the requirements of CSO’s and PCR. The appointment of the provider for the Property Management Services at 100 Embankment and 2 New Bailey Square follows an open tender process which is outlined within the body of the report, with bidders being evaluated on the most economically advantageous tender, resulting in the proposed award of the contract to Knight Frank LLP.

Having undertaken the open tender exercise process set out in the report, the Council may take comfort that value for money has been obtained and periodically tested, with open competition maintained.

Financial Advice obtained:  Chris Mee Strategic Finance Manager Ext 0434

The appointments will be funded initially through the building service charges with the Council, as landlord, paying a proportion based on the vacant areas within each building.

Provision for these costs was built into Business Case projected cashflows at the time the schemes were approved by members, including provision for potential council liability on vacant areas, which will be met from a combination of rental income generated and resources set aside within the New Bailey reserve.

Procurement Advice obtained - Heather Stanton, Category Manager, ext 4241

This contract was advertised as an open tender on the Chest ensuring an open and transparent procurement in accordance with SCC Contractual Standing Orders under the Council’s Constitution governing contract procurement.

HR Advice obtained

There are no HR implications arising from this report.

Climate Change Implications obtained

There are no climate change implications arising from this report

The following documents have been used to assist the decision process

Salford 2025, a Modern Global City

Creating prosperity in Salford

Contact Officer: James Kington

Telephone number: 07855 146 516

This matter is not subject to consideration by another Lead Member.

The appropriate Scrutiny Committee to call-in the decision is the Growth and Prosperity Panel.

*         This decision was published on 7^th April 2021

*         This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 14^th April 2021 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.

Salford City Council - Record of Decision

I Councillor John Merry, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services, in exercise of the powers contained within the Elected City Mayor’s Register of Executive Functions delegated to Lead Members and under the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012, do hereby:

1.    Nominate for appointment as LA Governors to the governing boards the following individuals:

·         Mrs Lisa Williams – St Mark’s RC Primary school

2.    Nominate for re-appointment as LA Governors to the governing boards the following individuals:

·         Councillor Heather Fletcher – St Boniface RC Primary School

·         Ms Valerie Jones – St Mark’s CE Primary School

3.    LA Governor Vacancies requiring nominees from the LA.

There are currently LA governor vacancies on the following governing boards:

·         Moorside Primary School

·         Summerville Primary School

·         St Luke’s CofE Primary School

·          

The Reasons are:

Under The School Governance (Constitution)(England) Regulations 2012, although Local Authority (LA) Governors are appointed by the governing board, the LA are still required to nominate prospective candidates and have to ensure the procedures they have adopted for selecting their nominees meet the requirements of the statutory guidance ‘The constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools – statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools and local authorities in England.’

Options considered and rejected were:  N/A

Assessment of Risk: N/A

The source of funding is: N/A

Legal Advice obtained: N/A

Financial Advice obtained: N/A

Procurement advice obtained: N/A

HR Advice obtained: N/A

The following documents have been used to assist the decision process:

The School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012

‘The constitution of governing bodies of maintained schools – statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools and local authorities in England.’

Nominee’s application forms (where appropriate).

Any comments and submissions by the chairs of the governing boards under consideration.

Contact Officer:  Dee Moyo (Governor Services Officer) Tel No: 0161 778 0265

FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE ONLY

* This decision was published on  28.03.21                                            

* This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 06.04.21 

unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.

Key:

#    Insert date five days after decision notice is to be published.