Decision ref
0078 2025/26
Decision date
09/02/2026
Portfolio
Children and Young People
Wards
All wards
Title
Joining the STAR Transport Services Framework for Home to School Transport.
Summary
To approve joining STAR's Provision of Transport Services framework agreement for the provision of SEND Home to School Transport services.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the authority to join the STAR framework for the provision of home-to-school transport services for children and young people aged 4–25 with SEND. Participation in the framework ensures that all transport providers are pre-vetted against quality, safety, and safeguarding standards, providing safe and reliable services for vulnerable children and young people. The framework also offers cost-effective solutions through collective purchasing, reduces procurement risk and administrative burden, and enables the authority to collaborate with five other local authorities to share best practice. The authority will design its own lots to meet local needs while benefiting from a larger pool of pre-approved providers. Individual contracts will be awarded through direct awards or mini-competitions, ensuring transparency, fairness, and value for money.
Background
St Helens Council is responsible for providing home-to-school transport for children and young people aged 4–25 with SEND. The current transport contract is not procured through a framework, which creates several challenges. Without an open framework, the authority faces a more time-consuming and administratively burdensome procurement process, limited access to pre-vetted providers, and reduced opportunities to achieve competitive pricing or share best practice with other authorities. This can make it harder to ensure consistent quality, safeguarding standards, and value for money.
Joining the STAR framework addresses these limitations. The framework provides a pre-approved pool of transport providers who meet quality, safety, and safeguarding standards, ensuring that vulnerable children and young people are transported safely and reliably. It also allows the authority to design its own lots to meet local needs while benefiting from the collective purchasing power and expertise of five other local authorities. Individual contracts will be awarded through mini-competitions within the framework, ensuring transparency, fairness, and competitive pricing. Participation reduces procurement risk, streamlines the tendering process, and provides opportunities for collaboration and sharing of best practice, making it a more efficient and effective solution for delivering SEND transport services.
Conclusion
In conclusion, adopting the STAR framework represents a strategic and practical solution for St Helens SEND home-to-school transport provision. By leveraging a pre-approved pool of providers who meet rigorous safety, quality, and safeguarding standards, the authority can ensure reliable and secure transport for children and young people aged 4–25. The open framework simplifies procurement, reduces administrative burden, and promotes competitive, transparent contracting through mini-competitions, while retaining the flexibility to design lots that reflect local needs. Furthermore, collaboration with five other local authorities enhances collective purchasing power and facilitates the sharing of best practices, ultimately delivering a more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable transport service for vulnerable learners.
Risk Implications
The primary risks associated with joining the STAR open framework relate to cost control, supplier performance, and procurement compliance. There is a risk that transport costs could continue to rise; however, this is mitigated through the use of mini-competitions, which promote competitive pricing and enable regular market testing to achieve value for money.
Supplier performance risks, including service disruption, are managed through the framework’s pre-qualification requirements, clear performance standards, and contractual remedies for underperformance. Procurement and legal risks are mitigated through the use of STAR Procurement processes and legal oversight from STAR Legal, ensuring compliance with public procurement regulations.
The open nature of the framework also reduces market dependency by allowing new providers to join, increasing capacity and resilience. Overall, the identified risks are considered manageable and are appropriately mitigated through established governance and contract management arrangements.
Measures to Redress Risk
Risks will be mitigated through competitive mini-competitions to ensure value for money. Pre-approved suppliers with experience and compliance checks will be used. Robust contract management will monitor performance and address any issues promptly. STAR Legal will provide oversight to ensure procurement compliance. Safeguarding and data protection requirements will be fully met throughout the process.
Declarations Of Interest
None
Equality Impact Assessment
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More information
Please contact Lauren Cole on 07743190170
