The Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and Officer responses were noted.

The recommendations were amended and then agreed.

DECISION

1.            To agree and sign off the Tower Hamlet’s specific content in the Adopt London East Business case, specifically:

a.    Agree to contribute the current adoption services budget for Tower Hamlets and a one-off transitional payment of £42,684 to cover additional costs, as laid out in the financial section to fund the RAA in year 1.  Budgets will be reviewed and agreed annually from year 2 onwards in consultation with the RAA partnership board

b.    Subject to consultation with the Mayor and Lead Member for Children, Schools and Young People, agree the TUPE transfer of staff in scope on or before 1st July 2019 and undertake a consultation with staff impacted by the transfer of the service.  NB – The specifics of the transfer process will be undertaken in consultation with both staff and trade unions to ensure that the transfer does not negatively affect terms and conditions of employment

c.    Agree the other overarching principles in the document. The partnership will use these principles to design the necessary functions of the RAA between now and the go-live date.

d.    Authorise the Corporate Director, Children and Culture to enter into all relevant agreements and other documentation in order to facilitate the Council’s involvement in the RAA as referred to in this report.

2.            To note that an Equalities Impact Assessment is being undertaken in respect of the impact across all of the local authorities involved as set out in the business case.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN AND CULTURE (D. JONES)

(Divisional Director, Children’s Social Care (R. Baldwin)

Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People introduced the report. He explained that the government had mandated a move towards regional adoption agencies and this report therefore presented proposals to go into a regional agency with neighbouring authorities. The business case had been re-examined since Waltham Forest had withdrawn from the partnership and it was still considered a viable proposition. It should be noted that medium term savings were predicated on a number of changes including a reduction in inter agency fees and the reduced cost of placements.

John McLoughlin, UNISON Branch Secretary, made a presentation to the meeting. He noted a number of points including:

·         That this was a government requirement but that there was local control on how the changes were undertaken.

·         Care was needed on the business case.

·         It was important to protect the terms and conditions of staff. TUPE rules must be protected but there were concerns the report implied this would not be the case due to the potential relocation.

The Mayor considered the issues raised and noted the Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officer responses. In particular he noted that the recommendations did state that staff consultation would be taking place. He proposed an amendment to the recommendations to require that he and the Lead Member be consulted before the TUPE process or staff consultation exercise began. With that change, he agreed the recommendations as set out.

RESOLVED

1.            To agree and sign off the Tower Hamlet’s specific content in the Adopt London East Business case, specifically:

a.    Agree to contribute the current adoption services budget for Tower Hamlets and a one-off transitional payment of £42,684 to cover additional costs, as laid out in the financial section to fund the RAA in year 1.  Budgets will be reviewed and agreed annually from year 2 onwards in consultation with the RAA partnership board

b.    Subject to consultation with the Mayor and Lead Member for Children, Schools and Young People, agree the TUPE transfer of staff in scope on or before 1st July 2019 and undertake a consultation with staff impacted by the transfer of the service.  NB – The specifics of the transfer process will be undertaken in consultation with both staff and trade unions to ensure that the transfer does not negatively affect terms and conditions of employment

c.    Agree the other overarching principles in the document. The partnership will use these principles to design the necessary functions of the RAA between now and the go-live date.

d.    Authorise the Corporate Director, Children and Culture to enter into all relevant agreements and other documentation in order to facilitate the Council’s involvement in the RAA as referred to in this report.

2.            To note that an Equalities Impact Assessment is being undertaken in respect of the impact across all of the local authorities involved as set out in the business case.

The report was withdrawn from the agenda.

The report was withdrawn from the agenda.