Decision details

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health, and Wellbeing, presented the report which sought to extend contractual supported accommodation service arrangements with Adullam Bury Bridges.

Decision:

Cabinet:

1.    Agreed to extend contractual arrangements from the 1^st October 2022 to 31^st September 2023 aligned to the proposed service delivery model. (This is in line with the original contractual agreement). An additional year extension will be agreed subject to satisfactory performance of the provider;

2.    Agreed to reduce the contract value from £410,216.59 to £338,343.48 per annum, generating a saving to the Council of £71,873.11 per annum, a total of £143,746.22 over a 2-year period; and

3.    Delegated authority to the Executive Director for Strategic Commissioning for any future extensions relevant to this contract. (Within the specified Contract provision).

Reasons for the decision:

Despite impacts of the pandemic, Adullam Bury Bridges have delivered housing services to meet demand and varying need. Therefore, providing confidence the service would continue to deliver during periods of ‘normality’. The department is in a position where it must make savings where required from commissioned services, for ensured value for money by delivering further outcomes within existing cash envelope. Adullam have proposed alternative contractual arrangements. They include:

(a)  Reducing the contract value to £338,343.48 per annum (previously £410,216.59). Over a two-year period, this will deliver a culminative saving of £143,746.22 (£71,873.11 per annum).

(b)  This would be achieved by moving the 2.88 FTE concierge costs into the eligible service charge under rents and by disestablishing one FTE service co-ordinator post from the structure. This provides the council with almost an 18% saving.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

The alternative is to retender this provision. However, the department is content with the service delivery and contractual arrangement allow for a 2-year extension. It should also be noted that the needs of people who are at risk of homelessness has changed significantly since the pandemic and a shift in the housing market. This requires a more detailed understanding, an extension will enable the authority to navigate and comprehend future service delivery.