Issue - meetings

          The Board considered a report that presented the Children’s Services Asset Management Masterplan (CSAM) and sought approval to progress the capital investment required to align Children’s Services assets with service redesign, statutory improvement requirements, and the needs of children and families in Halton.

          In October 2025, ICENI Projects were commissioned to undertake a strategic review of Halton Children’s Services Assets with 3 key objectives:

·       sufficiency space;

·       office space; and

·       service delivery space.

          The review as now complete and all the options for Children’s Services Assets were outlined in the attached CSAM.

          It was noted that the sufficiency element of the CSAM proposed a phased Capital Programme – Invest to Save (2026 -2028) that comprised:

·       Four children’s homes (12 beds) delivered through a partnership with We Are Juno CIC;

·       Replacement and expansion of care leaver provision (Park House/Appleton Village);

·       New 16+ supported accommodation; and

·       18+ supported independent living provision.

          Members were advised that following the Inspecting Local Authority Children’s Services that took place in May 2024, a programme around the stabilisation and redesign of Children's Social Care to become a proactive early intervention and prevention system across Halton had been developed. The purpose of the funding being required was to ensure that young people were accommodated. The report provided an update on workstreams that had were underway.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the Children’s Services Asset Masterplan be noted;

2)    Council include the capital funding required to meet the objectives of the Children’s Social Care Placement and Sufficiency Invest to Save Project within the Capital Programme at an estimated cost of up to £2,156,250 as outlined in paragraph 5.1;

3)    the Executive Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People and the Section 151 Officer, is given delegated authority to present a full business case to Management Team for approval to draw down capital funding for each element of the sufficiency strategy as outlined in paragraph 5.1; and

Council include requirements for the Children’s Services Asset Masterplan relating to ‘Office Space and Service Provision’ within the overall Corporate Strategy for Halton’s Accommodation and Assets review.