Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Variation and extension to Family Group Conference Services
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Executive Decision Notice – 28 May 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision VARIATION AND EXTENSION TO FAMILY GROUP
CONFERENCE SERVICES
Reference No. 1419
Date of decision Wednesday 28 May 2025
Call-in expiry date Wednesday 04 June 2025
Relevant Select
Committee
Children, Families & Education Select Committee
Relevant Wards N/A
Decision made
Cabinet Members
making the decision
Councillor Ian Edwards, Leader of the Council
Councillor Susan O'Brien, Cabinet Member for Children,
Families & Education
Decision Approved
That Leader of the Council, in conjunction with the Cabinet
Member for Children, Families & Education:
1. Noted the preventative importance of Family Group
Conference services in supporting families, along
with wider cost avoidance and how they help the
Council meet statutory duties from the Families first
national reforms;
2. Noted that following Cabinet approval of the original
Your Family Matters contract in 2023, that there has
been an increase in the number of conferences
during 2024/25 expected from £114,038 to £220,100
and agrees this variation to increase
retrospectively;
3. For the same contract from 15 May 2025 to 14 May
2026, agreed that the value of the contract be varied
to increase to a maximum £350,000 to support
increased conferences; and
4. Agreed that the contract extension thereafter be for
a period of 17 months from 15 May 2026 until 14
October 2027 and at a value which does not exceed
£495,834.
Reason for decision 1) Delivers clear financial savings to the Council
Executive Decision Notice – 28 May 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
2) Supports long-term cost avoidance
3) Improves outcomes for children and young people
4) Strengthens family and community resilience
5) Supports key Council priorities and national policy direction
6) High-quality and trusted service delivery
7) Highly valued by residents
8) Essential to maintain and expand the service
9) A 17-month extension is permitted under the Public
Contracts Regulations 2015, as contracts can be increased by
to 50%.
Alternative options
considered and
rejected
1) Not to increase the number of family group conferences is
not recommended as this would lead to more costly statutory
support and less children and young people would be
prevented from entering care rather than supported to remain
in the care of the immediate or wider family as agreed in the
family group conference.
2) Wherever safe to do so, children thrive and are best placed
in family settings. Research consistently shows that children
who remain within their immediate or wider family have better
emotional, social, and educational outcomes compared to
those placed in local authority care.
3) An in- house option is not cost -effective and would likely
reduce trust and engagement. The current contract cannot be
further extended under its original terms. Discontinuation
would directly impact vulnerable families and contradict both
local need and national direction.
4) To re -tender is not recommended as Your Family Matters
are well engaged with family mediations within the borough
and the original tender highlighted that there would be no
viable provider at a lower cost.
Classification Part II – Members Only and Not for Publication
Link to associated
report
That this report be declared as exempt from publication as it
involves the disclosure of information in accordance with
Section 100(A) and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A)
to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), in that the
report contains information relating to the financial or business
affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding
Executive Decision Notice – 28 May 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
that information) and that the public interest in withholding the
information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.
Relevant Officer
contact & Directorate
Valentin Danciu, Assistant Director, Children's Services
Antony Madden, Assistant Director, Children's Services
Any interest declared
by the Cabinet
Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in
[Internal Use only]
When can this
decision be
implemented by
officers?
Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only
from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:
5pm on Wednesday 04 June 2025
However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a
valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise
the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold.
Councillor scrutiny
call-in of this
decision
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice
may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the
expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above.
Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their
devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought
from Democratic Services if required:
Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure)
Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The
Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access
to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive
decision, including links to the reports where applicable.
If you would like more information on this decision, please contact
Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email:
democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including
Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group
Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the
Council’s website.
Democratic Services
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