Staff Cover - South Tees Youth Justice Service (YJS)

This contract is for Middlesbrough Council to provide staff coverage from within South Tees Youth Justice Service (YJS) on a SLA basis. The staff who will provide cover are dedicated Youth Justice staff and managers, who are specialists and well versed in the affairs of the court in this region, enabling them to provide a seamless transition between the two staff teams (Hartlepool/Middlesbrough) working effectively across geographical boundaries.

The provision of court services is a statutory function enshrined within the 1998 Crime & Disorder Act and ultimately each YJS is accountable to the Youth Justice Board and the Ministry of Justice. Data captured on clients utilising the Service is recorded using the same web-based case management system as Hartlepool so making the transfer of information between both organisations secure, accurate and efficient.

Bearing in mind the complexity and sensitivity of the nature of the work - specifically in relation to public protection and safeguarding, this is paramount. This arrangement is also more cost effective to commission staff from MBC to undertake this work than pay HBC staff for travel and overtime for out of hours work.

In addition this is a Contract with professional persons or contractors for the execution of works or the provision of services in which the professional knowledge and skill of these persons or contractors is of primary importance and where it relates to the provision of care services to children or vulnerable persons.

The proposal is for Middlesbrough Council to continue to provide staff cover at Teesside Youth Court, as the capacity and logistical issues arising from Hartlepool YJS undertaking this work impacts significantly on other areas of the statutory core business, as well as costing more than the contract value in terms of resourcing.

Middlesbrough Council will provide staff from the South Tees Youth Justice Service (YJS) to cover the equivalent of one day per week at Teesside Youth Court over a 52 week period. It is not possible to source this provision from any other area due to the specialist skills of the staff, the well established court links and case management and data-capturing systems in operation.

Due to all of the above this contract serves as an exemption to HBC's Contract Procedure Rules.