Decisions
07/06/2023 - INFORMATION AND ADVICE SERVICE ref: 5225 Recommendations Approved
This report seeks approval for a contract variation to the Information and Advice Contract to maintain increased capacity to support local communities impacted by the rising cost of living.
The Ask Us Wirral Information and Advice Service plays a pivotal role in supporting residents in Wirral with a wide range of issues including benefits advice, debts, employment, housing, relationships and families, legal, consumer, immigration and asylum, utilities, phones, travel, transport, holidays, tax, education and discrimination. Demand on this service has increased due to the increases in living costs being experienced by residents across the Borough.
To meet increased demand Ask Us Wirral have received additional funding of £155,000 in 2022/23, through one-off grant funding which concludes at the end of the 2022/23 financial year.
Due to ongoing high demand for support from the service it is proposed to utilise the Public Health grant to provide additional funding to the Information and Advice Service to cover the period 1st April 2023 - 31st March 2024. The service will be recommissioned from April 2024 and the recommissioning process will consider the required contract value from this point onwards to deliver service requirements.
This proposal affects all Wards within the borough and the decision is a not a key decision.
The report supports the implementation of the Wirral Plan 2021 - 26 and its core purpose to improve equity for people and place through the provision of a pan-Wirral, commissioned service that directly supports people in need.
Decision Maker: Director of Public Health
Decision published: 07/06/2023
Effective from: 07/06/2023
Decision:
Resolved – that, The Director of Public Health has decided to vary the Information and Advice Contract, Ask Us Wirral, for the period 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 to increase capacity of the service so that more residents in need can be supported.
Lead officer: Alexandra Davidson
06/06/2023 - Continued Educational Support for Looked After Children ref: 5224 Recommendations Approved
This report seeks approval for Wirral Virtual School to carry out a mini competition with supply or tuition agencies. These agencies would need to demonstrate how they could provide school staff (eg, teachers/TAs), face to face or online tutors, and mentors for Wirral Looked After Children. This support is needed on an often urgent but generally temporary basis. Wirral Virtual School aims to offer short term support to individual looked after children to allow them to have better educational outcomes. This support has been made even more necessary following the pandemic and the impact it has had, with children displaying heightened anxiety and challenging behaviours which schools struggle to cope with and manage.
Wirral Virtual School is a statutory local authority service with the responsibility of supporting and improving the education and outcomes of Looked After Children and Young Care Leavers. There are currently 780 children in the care of Wirral Local Authority. Wirral Virtual School promotes their educational achievement in Wirral and also nationwide due to some looked after children being placed out of borough. Their primary role is to ensure looked after children are in education, supported in education and make academic progress and achieve good outcomes. The team consists of highly experienced staff many of whom were senior leaders in mainstream/specialist education across all key stages.
The report supports the Implementation of the Wirral Plan 2021 - 26, specifically the Brighter Futures theme.
This matter affects all wards and is a key decision
Decision Maker: Director of Children, Families and Education
Decision published: 06/06/2023
Effective from: 10/06/2023
Decision:
Resolved – that,
The Director of Children, Family and Education has decided to approve the recommendation to undertake a mini competition with tuition agencies to source a 5-year contract to provide school staff/ tuition/ mentoring for Wirral Looked After Children at a value of £600,000.
Lead officer: James Backhouse, Bryn Griffiths
31/05/2023 - Microsoft Support ref: 5223 Recommendations Approved
This decision seeks authority for the award of a Microsoft Unified Premier Support contract for the Council to Microsoft Ltd. This will be for a twelve-month term to commence subject to contract on 25th May 2023.
The decision will contribute directly and indirectly to the delivery of key themes in the Wirral Plan 2021-2026, as an enabling service to support other areas delivering outcomes. The Wirral plan references the underpinning aspect of a robust digital system enabling remote connectivity and the ability to maintain essential services using digital technology.
It is also a key enabler in supporting the increased use of digital technology and integrated working and supports the Digital strategy by enabling staff and members through digital.
This is not a key decision. This decision affects all wards in the borough.
Decision Maker: Director of Resources
Decision published: 31/05/2023
Effective from: 31/05/2023
Decision:
The Director of Resources is recommended to approve the award of the Microsoft Unified Premier Support contract for the provision of the services summarised at paragraph 3.7 of this report for a 12-month term to Microsoft Ltd by way of a direct award through the Crown Commercial GCloud 13 framework
Lead officer: Victoria Chapman
26/05/2023 - UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Wirral High Streets: Local Capacity Building Support ref: 5222 Recommendations Approved
To seek approval to progress with the
procurement of a suitably qualified organisation to provide
dedicated support to high street stakeholders in Liscard Town
Centre and Birkenhead Town Centre, to formalise or further develop
a high street partnership for the local area and co-design with
partners, local businesses and community organisations/groups, a
locally owned and driven action plan.
Decision Maker: Director of Regeneration and Place
Decision published: 26/05/2023
Effective from: 26/05/2023
Decision:
Resolved – That the Director of Regeneration & Place has approved the commencement of the procurement exercise to seek a suitably qualified organisation to provide dedicated support to high street stakeholders in Liscard and Birkenhead Town Centres based on the specification set out at paragraph 3.12 – 3.17 of this report and in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender evaluation criteria.
Lead officer: Hannah Austin