Re-Commissioning of Connexions Services in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham

eMail: connexions.admin@doncaster.gov.uk | Telephone: 01302 855565 | Fax: 01302 855565
Address: Balby Youth and Connexions Centre, Oswin Avenue, Balby, Doncaster, DN4 0NY.

Common Statement from the 3 Local Authorities

From April 2007 the responsibility for commissioning Information Advice and Guidance services for young people aged 13 to 19 (and for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities up to age 24), and the funding that goes with that responsibility, was devolved from the Connexions South Yorkshire Partnership to the Local Authorities in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham.

Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Local Authorities are currently collaborating to review current models of delivery with a view to reshaping and recommissioning services from April 2009, with a lead-in period to September 2009.

Current contracts have been extended to September 2009 with existing providers to ensure that quality services continue to be delivered during this transition period.

Further information is available from - Pam Bolderson on Doncaster 855565

Timetable for Re-Commissioning

The 3 Authorities agreed a timetable for recommissioning as follows:

Invitations to Tender advertised July 2008

Pre-Qualification Questionnaires returned to Authority September 2008

Invitations to Tender issued October 2008

Tenders evaluated February 2009

New contracts awarded in March 2009

Successful providers commence delivery September 2009

A range of information is being pulled together to form the new Connexions Service specification. This includes:

Needs Analysis
Resource Analysis
The views of young people

Stakeholder Consultations

The commissioners in each Authority need to consult with organisations that work with, or could potentially work with, Connexions to find out their views on how the service can best work with partners to provide information, advice and guidance to young people. The commissioners would especially welcome new and innovative suggestions and ‘blue-sky’ thinking about how Connexions might work in the future.

Consultation with stakeholders were undertaken in 2 ways:

a) Through a questionnaire on the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Local Authority websites.

b) Through three open half-day consultation events

Consultation through Open Half-Day Events

Three half-day consultation events were scheduled to provide current and potential stakeholders with an opportunity to give their views on the work of Connexions to date and how it might develop in the future.

In the interests of fairness and transparency, three identical events, chaired by an independent facilitator, were held during February 2008.