Waltham Forest Council will terminate a health trust’s contract to supply youth mental health services.

North East London NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health support for children in care, trauma support for young offenders and support for young people with substance abuse issues.

The contract was only signed in April this year, but due to “different views that cannot be reconciled” the authority now wants an early end to the three-year arrangement.

Council documents make it clear that the trust is not prepared to agree the premature termination of the contract, but the council’s cabinet has forced it through because it believes it is not getting the service it should.

According to these documents, the trust has admitted that it has not been able to deliver the council’s vision for the programme quickly enough for the council’s liking.

But the documents also point out that this failure is not because of a lack of will or ambition on its part.

The council and the health trust have different views on what the scale and scope of the services should be and it is this that has caused the current impasse.

Waltham Forest Council officers want to look for a new provider, but will not reduce the amount of money or other resources pumped into the programme.

During today’s cabinet meeting, Cllr Naheed Asghar, cabinet member for health, said: “The current staffing is not fit for purpose. we have had numerous discussions and ongoing dialogue with NEFLT and our expectations were set out clearly before the start of the contract, but there is a huge difference in views. This is a really unusual decision.”

Cllr Grace Williams, cabinet member for children, young people and families added: “We have to think about the expectations for our children, it is clear when you speak to them the importance of timely mental health support.

“It is difficult when there is a decision like this, but it is a question of corporate parental responsibility. What would a good parent do? If you’re not getting the service you need, you shop around.”

Council leader Cllr Clare Coghill said: “This decision just proves the agility of this organisation to set out to do its best and encourage those we work with to do their best.

“But we are brutally realistic when an organisation is failing our children and young people. It is just not good enough.”

The council leader also bemoaned the lack of scrutiny over clinical commissioning groups and the lack of funding given to councils to provide these kinds of services.

She said: “There is no outward face for these groups, they are elected by other GPs, unlike us councillors who are accountable to the general public. Millions and millions of pounds are spent without scrutiny and it is a staggering deficit in our democracy.

“But if the Government will not take responsibility, we will absolutely step up to do what we can.”

A spokesman for North East London NHS Foundation Trust said: “Unfortunately NELFT and LBWF have not been able to resolve the differences around expectation on the delivery of the contract to provide a Young Person’s Specialist Early Response Service.   

“These  differences do not reflect the very positive collaborative working relationship we have in our many other areas of joint working on young people’s mental health services and other service areas. 

“We will continue to work very closely with LBWF to ensure a safe and smooth transfer to the new arrangements for this service area.”