Cabinet Member decisions

Proposed decision

Direct award of the contract, under the Framework Y24008, for the delivery of the Community Equipment Service

 

Reason for the decision

The Council has a statutory obligation to provide the community equipment service to support people with health and/or social care needs following discharge from hospital as detailed within the Care Act 2014.

 

The Kent Community Equipment Service (“KCES”) plays an essential role for both Health and Social Care in meeting the needs of Kent residents and has a significant impact on the smooth functioning of acute and community health services. Failure, even for a relatively brief period of time of the KCES would have severe and far-reaching consequences for people who use the service.

 

The decision may not be reasonably deferred because failure of the KCES contract, and therefore not having continuity of service provision, would detrimentally impact; the Council’s ability to deliver against their statutory duties; delay hospital discharge; increase hospital admission; be a real risk to individuals and therefore safeguarding; increase pressure on Mental Health and Carers’ services; and have a potential impact on increased costs to the health and social care sector. The timelines for securing continued service delivery do not allow for compliance with normal Executive Decision-making notice periods and arrangements.

 

Options (other options considered but discarded)

 

Various options including retendering the services on the open market and awarding short term contracts for replacement services have been considered but these were not taken forward due to the need to have continuity of provision to meet statutory obligations under the Care Act 2014

 

How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026

 

The proposed decision aligns to ‘‘Framing Kent’s Future – Our Council Strategy 2022 – 2026’ and will narrow the gaps in outcomes between different parts of Kent with a particular focus on providing the right type of equipment to improve life in deprived communities.

 

 

Decision: As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, I:

a)    AGREE to the direct award of the contract under the Framework Y24008 for the delivery of the Community Equipment Service on general terms as set out in the Decision Report;

b)    DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health to negotiate, finalise and enter into the required contracts with the selected provider; and

c)    DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to entering into other contracts or legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision.

 

Proposed Decision:

To agree the Post 16 Transport Policy Statement including Post 19 for the 2026/27 academic year and activity required to deliver future implementation

 

 

Reason for the decision

 

KCC has a duty to consider what support it is necessary to provide to facilitate each young person’s attendance. Historically, KCC has offered more direct support for some Post 16 learners, particularly those with SEND including EHCPs. This meant that their transport has remained very similar after they turn 16, even though there is no legal requirement to provide that level of support. This offer has never been universal, with only a small proportion of learners getting this additional level of support. Most learners of sixth form age, including the majority of those with SEND including EHCPs are currently expected to make their own arrangements.

 

However, since 2018, Kent has seen over an 80% increase in the number of children aged 16 and above with an EHCP. The provision of transport for this group is inevitably more complex, which means that it usually requires more resources to fulfil. KCC is not provided with dedicated funds for Post 16 transport, which means that any additional offer that KCC makes must come from its general funds, namely the Council Tax that it collects from local residents and government grants. As a result, we need to ensure that our policy and transport services are both appropriate to meet the specific travel needs of learners and are sustainable now and in the future.

 

KCC held a public consultation between 27 January and 23 March 2025 to outline its proposed transport policy for 2026/27.

 

The key drivers for the proposed changes are as follows: promoting independence; rebalancing KCC’s offer to learners of sixth form age and adult learners; and financial sustainability. These were explained in more detail in related consultation materials and the cabinet paper that will accompany this decision.

The structure of KCC’s standard offer of support to both learners of sixth form age and adult learners is proposed to remain unchanged for 2026/27. KCC is also not proposing to alter the criteria it will apply in determining which learners receive support. This means the same learners will be identified for additional support under the proposed policy.

However, there is no legal definition of what level of support should be provided to these learners where KCC considers that alternative support should be provided .The consultation proposed the following changes to how Kent would provide alternative support to these learners

 

Proposed 2026-27 changes for Learners of Sixth Form Age

The proposed policy would make Personal Transport Budgets (PTBs) KCC’s default offer to learners who qualify for additional support, to facilitate their travel to their place of education. This means a KCC organised vehicle would only be provided in exceptional circumstances, rather than to the majority of pupils that qualify for additional support, as is currently the practice.

 

Proposed 2026-27 changes for Adult Learners

The proposed policy would to make two main changes to the support provided to adult learners,as follows:

·         Adult Learners would be expected to apply for support via the Government funded 16 to 19 Bursary Fund from their learning provider before approaching KCC for any additional support. The 16 to 19 Bursary fund is national funding provided to learning providers to support a range of needs including transport.

·         Where KCC assesses that any support provided to students via the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is insufficient to facilitate a student’s attendance at school, college or training, consideration would be given to support in the form of a mileage payment. KCC would offer a mileage payment, as standard. Under the proposed policy, KCC would generally no longer make transport arrangements for individuals to whom it provides support. KCC would only consider providing transport in exceptional circumstances.

It is also recommended that the Assistant Director for Fair Access and SEN Processes works in conjunction with learning providers to develop and fund cost effective bespoke school led transport options that increase transport options for learners. This requires delegated authority to the Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education, to enter into relevant contracts or other legal agreements, including Service Level agreements (SLAs), and ensure sufficient administrative capacity, as necessary to implement this decision.

 

Financial Implications

The Home to School Transport net budget is £97.7m for 2025-26. There are no specific grants for home to school transport and the Council are expected to fund their responsibilities through the General Fund (Council Tax and other wider council funding) or where applicable, parental contributions. This budget covers mainstream, post 16 and SEN transport for eligible children aged up to 25.

 

The Council currently spends approximately £10m per annum on Post 16 transport to schools and further education providers. Estimated total cost reductions from this proposed decision would be in the region of £6m per year (when fully implemented). It is recognised that in some individual cases, the proposed reduction in support may give rise to a need to access other KCC services, such as children’s or adult social care, however this would have to be assessed on an individual basis. A contingency to mitigate the risk of these additional costs to other parts of the council will be considered as part of the full Cabinet Committee paper.

 

 

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills I agree to:

 

1. Approve the Post 16 Transport Policy Statement including Post 19 for 2026/27, and the activity required to deliver future implementation.

 

2. Delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education to take other necessary actions, including but not limited to entering into relevant contracts or other legal agreements, including Service Level agreements (SLAs), and ensure sufficient administrative capacity, as necessary to implement this decision.

Proposed decision:

To agree the Post 16 Transport Policy Statement including Post 19 Transport 2025/26 and future implementation

 

Reason for the decision

KCC has a duty to consult on and publish its Post 16 Transport Policy Statement every year.  Whilst there is no statutory duty to provide transport for Post 16 Learners, there is a duty to consider applications for assistance with transport and to enable access to education and training to age 18. The transport policy sets out how KCC will meet this duty and what learners can expect by way of support.Councils also have a duty to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the provision of transport and otherwise in respect of Adults learners including those with an EHCP.

 

Financial Implications

The Home to School Transport net budget is £97.7m for 2025-26. There are no specific grants for home to school transport and the Council are expected to fund their responsibilities through the General Fund (Council Tax and other wider council funding) or where applicable, parental contributions. This budget covers mainstream, post 16 and SEN transport for eligible children aged up to 25.

 

The Council currently spends approximately £10m per annum on Post 16 transport to schools and further education providers. There are no substantive changes proposed to the 2025-26 policy.

 

Legal Implications 

The requirements placed on a local authority are defined in the Education Act 1996 (as amended), Education and Skills Act 2008, Education and Inspections Act 2006, Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 and the Equality Act 2010.

Local authorities do not have a general obligation to provide free or subsidised post 16 travel support but do have a duty to prepare and publish an annual transport policy statement specifying the arrangements for the provision of transport or other support that the authority considers it necessary to make to facilitate the attendance of all persons of sixth form age receiving education or training.

The policy statement also sets out the duties on the LA to consider requests for transport support. KCC is required to enable access to education and will consider applications for support where a Kent 16+ Travel Saver pass is not suitable.  Where support is agreed, the policy makes clear that learners will initially be assessed for Travel Training and alternative transport arrangements will only be provided where this training is not appropriate. Where additional support is refused learners can appeal to the Transport Regulation Committee Appeal Panel. 

Local authorities also have a duty to encourage, enable and assist young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, up to the age of 25.

 

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills,  I agree to:

 

Determine the Post 16 Transport Policy Statement including Post 19 Transport 2025/26.

Proposed decision

 

To recommission the Older Persons Residential and Nursing (OPRN) care service and to extend the current Dynamic Purchasing System contract arrangements for a potential further period of up to nine months to enable the awarding of new contracts and mobilisation of the procurement of the OPRN under a new Light Touch Open Framework.

 

Reason for the decision

 

The current contract, introduced in 2016 and extended via a 24-month direct award to March 2026, operates under a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). While the DPS has offered flexibility, it has led to growing price variation, limited market control, and challenges in monitoring quality and performance.

 

Significant changes in care needs, regulatory requirements, and service costs now require a more sustainable and structured model, in line with the Procurement Act 2023. The proposed solution is a new Open Framework aligned with KCC’s strategic priorities and key policies such as Framing Kent’s Future, Making a Difference Every Day, and the Accommodation Market Position Statement.

 

Approval is sought to proceed to tender and secure a fit-for-purpose model that delivers sustainable, high-quality care and improved outcomes for Kent’s older population, as well as the potential to extend the existing OPRN DPS for a further period of up to nine months.

 

Background – Provide brief additional context

 

In 2014, the Council re-let the then 12-year-old Residential and Nursing Care contract using a two-stage procurement process. The first stage involved a cost model review, which re-evaluated care home costs and established new guide prices for Residential, Residential High, and Nursing Care.

 

To support the transition and prepare both the market and the Council for the anticipated major changes linked to Phase 2 of the Care Act 2014, an 18-month contract was introduced in October 2014. This short-term contract ended on 31 March 2016.

 

On 1 April 2016, the current Older Persons Residential and Nursing (OPRN) Care contract commenced. It was initially set for four years, with the option of two extensions of 24 months each. Both extension periods have been fully utilised, and the contract had no provision for further extensions beyond 31 March 2024.

 

On 18 January 2024, the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee approved a 24-month direct award, ensuring continued service provision until 31 March 2026.

 

Over the past decade there have been significant changes in care needs, regulatory requirements, workforce challenges, service delivery expectations and service costs.

 

This project aims to respond to Framing Kent’s Future, 2022-2026, by considering the Council’s priority of New Models of Care and Support by recognising the importance of health and social care integration, building effective strategic partnerships with our providers through coproduction whilst being innovative in the way we look to redesign services to improve quality and respond to budget constraints.

 

It is the Council’s priority to establish new arrangements to continue providing affordable accommodation, care, support and stimulation to those people in the client group for whom it is appropriate, either in the short or longer term, to live in a Residential or Nursing Home setting as their own home, ensuring a sustainable local market for care services (s5 Care Act 2014). This does not preclude the council developing its own homes but current contracts need to be renewed for the current externally commissioned placements.

 

The expectation is to commence contract award for the new service under the Light Touch Open Framework, from 1 April 2026. However to ensure continuity of provision the council may require the existing arrangements to enable the completion of the procurement.

 

Options (other options considered but not taken forward)

 

Before deciding on the preferred way forward, the following options were considered:

 

Option 1: Do Minimum

Scope	OPRN Care Homes – contracted, non-contracted and future requirements
Description	Continue as we are (DPS):   Maintain the existing Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for OPRN placements. Providers submit updated prices twice a year and placements continue under legacy arrangements.
Pros	No major system changes needed- Administrative continuity- Existing provider familiarity
Cons	Loss of market control- Prices continue to escalate beyond affordability Variance in pricing between legacy and new placements is unsustainable Quality assurance and contract performance are harder to manage under current terms Exploitation of loopholes (e.g., notice periods) No formal mechanism for controlling market behaviour or incentivising quality improvement
Recommendation	Not recommended due to high-cost pressure, poor market control, and fragmented oversight

 

 

Option 2: Less Ambitious

Scope	OPRN Care Homes – contracted, non-contracted and future requirements
Description	Expand in-house provision and/or enter a series of block arrangements through direct awards:   Increase Council-operated residential/nursing capacity and secure block beds via direct awards.
Pros	Greater control over quality and delivery- Predictable costs through block rates- Ability to target capacity to priority areas
Cons	High upfront investment for in-house provision (recruitment, pension, property, compliance) Reduced market flexibility May not meet wide-ranging geographical demand Risk of under-occupancy in block arrangements
Recommendation	Not recommended as a primary model due to high financial/resource burden and limited scalability

 

How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026

 

The recommissioning of the Older Peoples Residential and Nursing (OPRN) provision will align with KCC’s four strategic priorities outlined in Framing Kent’s Future: Our Council Strategy 2022-2026, which include: -

 

a)    Levelling Up Kent: Addressing disparities to ensure all People have access to quality services.

b)    Infrastructure for Communities: Investing in infrastructure that supports community needs.

c)    Environmental Step Change: Promoting sustainable practices across services.

d)    New Models of Care and Support: Innovating care delivery to meet evolving needs.

 

How the proposed decision supports Securing Kent’s Future 2022 -2026: Securing Kents Future - Budget Recovery Strategy.pdf

 

The proposed decision aligns with the ambitions set out in Framing Kent’s Future to place Kent on a sustainable footing for the medium and long term

 

As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, I agree to:

 

APPROVE the recommissioning of the Older Persons Residential and Nursing Care Service,

 

EXTEND the current Dynamic Purchasing System contract arrangements for a potential further period of up to nine months to enable the awarding of new contracts and mobilisation of the Older Persons Residential Nursing Care Service under a new Light Touch Open Framework;

 

DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health to take relevant actions including but not limited to, opening the Light Touch Open Framework at regular intervals to allow new providers to join the framework and finalising the terms of and entering into required legal agreements, as necessary to award the contract with new arrangements to begin on 1 April 2026; and

 

DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and Corporate Director Finance, to utilise the relevant contract extensions.

Proposed decision –The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills:

 

1. AGREE to issue a Public Notice to permanently remove residential provision at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable) and following a representation period of four weeks with no substantive objections received, implement the decision

 

2. DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education to Issue a Public Notice

 

3. DELEGATE authority for the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to take relevant actions including but not limited to entering into relevant contracts or other legal agreements as required, to implement the decision, subject to no new substantive objections received during the notice period

 

Reason for the decision

 

Kent County Council (KCC) as the Local Authority (LA) has a commitment to provide education, including Special School placements for children and young people within their locality, so that they can remain with their families. This follows national direction outlined in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Families First Partnership Programme.

 

The proposal to permanently remove residential provision at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable), is driven by an assessment by KCC of the school’s residential provision and need in the local area. This assessment has indicated that there is no longer a requirement for KCC to continue to commission residential placements at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable).

 

Up to, and including this academic year, placements in Broomhill Bank North (Hextable) residential provision have been for various reasons and not based on one prescribed set of criteria. Some of these reasons include:

·         Distance from home to school

·         Parental requests for placement (not linked to Social Care Assessment)

·         Different placement approaches from other LAs

 

KCC school placement decisions now focus on meeting a young person’s needs in a local provision, and where appropriate, those young people are supported by other services such as Social Care in line with their Education Health and Care Plan.

 

The approach most commonly employed now when placing children and young people in specialist residential provision is that the young person would have statutory care involvement, and the placement is made to meet care needs where local day specialist provision is not an option. This means that the cost of such placements is shared across Education and Social Care.

 

Based on the approach described above, the students who have previously been placed in residential provision at Broomhill Bank North (Hextable) would no longer meet the criteria for a residential placement. This would be in line with the national direction outlined in the Families First Partnership Programme.

 

Background – Provide brief additional context

 

Broomhill Bank School is a co-educational Foundation Special School for students aged 11-19 who have communication and interaction difficulties associated with autism and speech, language and communication needs. Following an inspection that took place in October 2023, Ofsted deemed Broomhill Bank School to be a ‘GOOD’ school. SinceSeptember 2015 Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable) has offered residential provision. Following an inspection that took place in November 2024, Ofsted deemed this provision to be ‘OUTSTANDING’.

 

However, as explained above, the students who have previously been placed in residential provision at Broomhill Bank North (Hextable) would no longer meet the criteria for a residential placement. As such, it has been identified that there is not the requirement, or need, for KCC to continue tocommission residential placements at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable). This has been discussed with the Executive Headteacher of the school.

 

For this reason, it is the intention that the residential provision will close following the departure of the students who are currently using the provision, all of whom are expected to leave the school at the end of this academic year. Therefore, the Broomhill Bank School Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body have been working with KCC Officers to ensure that provision for the remaining residential students would not be adversely affected up to their leaving date.

 

KCC are proposing that the process for statutory closure of the provision is progressed, with an expected closure date from 1 September 2025.

 

Options (other options considered but discarded)

 

Option 1: Do Nothing

Retain the residential provision, despite the placements not being made in line with the approach described above. This is not a viable option as this goes against KCC’s aspiration to ensure children and young people’s needs are met in a local provision with support from other services such as Social Care in line with their Education Health and Care Plan, where appropriate.

 

Option 2: Change the Admissions Criteria

Retain the residential provision but change the admissions criteria for the students who would receive placements at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable) to match the approach described above. Whilst this appears to be reasonable alternative, due to the needs of the young people who are placed at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable), the number who would meet that criteria would be minimal, and therefore adversely affect the financial viability of the provision.

 

 

 

 

How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026

 

The 'Securing Kent's Future' strategy outlines the measures that KCC intend to take to ensure that Kent remains financially stable, now and long into the future. It describes the statutory priorities.

 

This proposed decision supports Priority 1 of Framing Kent’s Future-Our Council Strategy 2022-2026:

·         Priority 1: Levelling Up Kent – It will help maintain KCC’s strategic role in supporting schools in Kent to deliver accessible, high quality education provision for all families.

 

How the proposed decision supports Securing Kent’s Future 2022-2026: Securing Kents Future - Budget Recovery Strategy.pdf

 

This proposed decision is compliant with Objective 1 of Securing Kent’s Future, KCC as the LA proposes to remove the Residential Provision at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable).This proposal is necessary for KCC to continue to deliver the statutory duty, in a cost-effective way, in line with the guidelines described in the Securing Kent's Future 2022-2026 strategy.

 

Financial Implications

 

Revenue funding for special school places is met from the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant, a specific ring-fenced grant, provided by the Department of Education. The High Needs Block is overspent by c17% and the Council is part of the Safety Valve Programme where central government are providing additional funding to help pay off the accumulated deficit created from this historic overspend (since 2018-19), on the condition the Council puts in place plans to achieve best value for money under the current statutory arrangements with an aim to return to an in-year breakeven position in future years.

 

Ensuring we meet children’s needs more locally where possible, and reducing our dependency on residential special school provision, by only retaining our residential provision for children who are more likely to have a statutory care involvement, is part of our savings strategy to reduce spending on the High Needs Block. By permanently removing residential provision at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable) it would save the authority approximately £40,000 per place.

 

A residential weekday place at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable) costs nearly £62,000 for each student per academic year, and an assessment by KCC has identified that there is no longer a requirement or need for KCC to continue to commission residential placements at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable). Day placements at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable) are on average £20,500 for 2025/26.

 

From 1 September 2025, all students attending the school will be day students and to continue to run the residential offer at Broomhill Bank costs a minimum of £480,000 a year to maintain.

 

There may be one off redundancy costs associated with this proposal, but work is ongoing with the school to ensure these costs are kept to a minimum through working with the affected staff to identify alternative employment opportunities. In the first instance the schools would ordinarily be expected to fund these costs. However, if this is deemed unaffordable, funding would be made available through the school redundancy fund (paid by the Council but funded from school contributions). Due to the exceptional nature of this proposal, KCC has agreed to meet the one-off redundancy costs. At the time of drafting this report the potential costs are anticipated to be less than £20,000.

 

The Local Authority is responsible for funding home to school transport for eligible children. By removing the residential offer may increase home to school transport costs to the authority if children are eligible for local authority funded travel to school, as they would then be travelling to and from school on a daily basis. By continuing to pursue our aim to meet children’s needs as locally as possible, should keep these extra costs to a minimum, by securing more efficient transport. The average cost of transporting an eligible child with SEN to school is £8,500 per year, this cost would be met from the Home to School Transport Budget.

 

There are no direct capital implications arising from this proposal. The buildings will be repurposed to support the educational delivery for incoming Year 7 students with a wider dimension of need.

 

Legal Implications

 

Under the Children and Families Act 2014 KCC has a duty ‘to support the child and his or her parent, or the young person, in order to facilitate the development of the child or young person and to help him or her achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes’. By ensuring we have appropriate provision as locally as possible, we are delivering on our obligation in accordance with this legislation.

 

Local Authorities need to deliver their statutory duties and be aware of non-statutory guidance and advice which relate to children and young people SEN. These are:

·         Department for Education-Making significant changes to an academy 2024: non-statutory guidance on collaborative school place planning and making organisational changes to academies.

·         The SEND Code of Practice places requirements on Local Authorities to: provide access to advice from a suitably qualified person as part of the EHCP process and subsequent “assess, plan, do, review” cycles, and make appropriate provision for those with an EHC plan in the 0-25 range.

·         Sufficiency Duties: KCC is under a statutory duty to contribute towards the spiritual, moral, mental and physical development of the community by securing that efficient primary education and secondary education are available to meet the needs of the population of their area: section 13 of the Education Act 1996 (“the 1996 Act”).

·         KCC must ensure that its education functions are exercised by the authority with a view to promoting high standards, ensuring fair access to opportunity for education and training, and promoting the fulfilment of learning potential by every person under the age of 20 and those over the age of 20 and for whom an EHC Plan is maintained: section 13A. By section 14, KCC must secure that sufficient schools for providing primary and secondary education are available for their area, defined as being sufficient in number, character and equipment to provide for all pupils the opportunity of appropriate education.

·         Under section 27 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (“the 2014 Act”), KCC is under a duty to keep under review the educational provision, training provision and social care provision made in its area (and outside it) for children and young people who have special educational needs or a disability. KCC must consider the extent to which its provision is sufficient to meet the educational needs, training needs and social care needs of the children and young people concerned.

·         Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Families First Partnership Programme: a direction nationally aimed to improve children’s wellbeing and support families in need. The Bill includes Local Authorities commitment to provide education, including Special School placement, within a child and young person’s locality, so that children and young people can remain with their families.

 

All individual proposals to either establish new, expand current or cease current provision will be required to go through the statutory process under the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 and Making Significant Changes to an Academy (non-statutory guidance on collaborative school place planning, October 2024). As part of this process, a public consultation was undertaken ahead of presentation of the proposal to CYPE Cabinet Committee. Should the Cabinet Member agree to the permanent removal of residential provision at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable), a Public Notice will be issued for a period of 4 weeks.

 

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, I agree to:

 

1. AGREE to issue a Public Notice to permanently remove residential provision at Broomhill Bank School North (Hextable) and following a representation period of four weeks with no substantive objections received, implement the decision

 

2. DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education to Issue a Public Notice

 

3. DELEGATE authority for the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to take relevant actions including but not limited to entering into relevant contracts or other legal agreements as required, to implement the decision, subject to no new substantive objections received during the notice period

Proposed decision –

 

Cabinet is asked to:

 

a)    note the capital and revenue outturn position for 2024-25; and

b)    agree roll forwards into 2025-26 in line with existing criteria (per Appendix); and

c)    agree the drawing down from reserves to fund the 2024-25 overspend; and

d)    agree the capital slippage/re-phasing from 2024-25 will be added to the 2025-26 and later years capital budgets (per the report); and

e)    note the review of the capital programme; and

f)     agree the proposed capital cash limit changes (per Appendix); and

g)    agree the changes made as a result of the a reserves review (per Appendix)

 

 

Reason for the decision

 

The outturn position for the Council needs to be noted by Cabinet.  The rolling forward of funds into 2025-26, the capital budget changes and the reserves drawdowns and realignments need to be agreed by Cabinet.

 

Background – Provide brief additional context

 

The report on the Council’s financial position as at the end of 2024-25 will be reported to Cabinet on 26 June 2025.  The report provides detail of our revenue and capital outturn positions and how the revenue overspend is funded from reserves, which needs to be agreed by Cabinet.

 

Cabinet is also asked to agree revenue budget roll forwards, capital re-phasing, capital programme cash limit changes and reserves realignment.

 

Options (other options considered but discarded)

 

-      N/A

 

 

 

How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026

 

Framing Kent’s Future (FKF), the KCC Strategic Statement, was approved at County Council in May 2022 and sets out the council’s ambition and strategic priorities until 2026. FKF acknowledged the significant financial and demand pressures the council would be facing over the coming four years, whilst concurrently delivering an ambitious agenda for Kent residents, businesses, and local communities. The Securing Kent's Future plans and this related Finance Monitoring report 2024-25 reflects the need to confirm a re-prioritisation of Council business within the framework of Framing Kent's Future

 

How the proposed decision supports Securing Kent’s Future

 

Securing Kent’s Future (SKF) acknowledges that given the significance of adults and children’s social care within the council’s budget, and that spending growth pressures on the council’s budget overwhelming (but not exclusively) come from social care, that the priority of delivering New Models of Care and Support must take precedence over the other priorities in Framing Kent’s Future.  This creates an expectation that council services across all directorates must collectively prioritise delivering the new models of care and support objective as a collective enterprise.

The outturn Finance Monitoring report for 2024-25 provides the detail of the financial position and the relevant information on the delivery of savings and management actions to reduce the budget gap for the following year and the MTFP.

 

Cabinet agree to:

 

a)    NOTE the capital and revenue outturn position for 2024-25

b)    AGREE that £0.6m is rolled forward to fund existing criteria (see Roll forward requests set out in the Cabinet Report

c)    AGREE the drawing down from General Fund Reserves to fund the 2024-25 overspend

d)    AGREE the capital slippage/re-phasing from 2024-25 will be added to the 2025-26 and later years capital budgets (as per Section 4 of the Cabinet Report)

e)    NOTE the review of the capital programme (as per Section 4 of the Cabinet Report)

f)     AGREE the proposed capital cash limit changes (as per Section 4 of the Cabinet Report)

g)    AGREE the changes made as a result of the Reserves Review (see Reserves as set out in the Cabinet Report)