Decision details

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, presented the report regarding proposals for the floating Support/tenancy support services for the next 2 years. In response to a Member’s question, it was noted that the contract had been extended by two months to allow Cabinet to consider the longer extension, which had been approved through existing delegated authorities.

Decision:

Cabinet:

1.    Agreed to extend contractual arrangements from the 1st July 2022 to 30th June 2023 aligned to the proposed service delivery model;

2.    Agreed to reduce the contract value from £634,970.77 to £599,970.77 per annum- saving the Council £70,000 over a 2-year period; and

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

Reasons for the decision:

Despite impacts of the pandemic, Calico have worked exceptionally hard to deliver housing services to meet demand and varying need. Therefore, providing confidence the service would continue to deliver during periods of ‘normality’ and coverage for service users would be more impactful.

The department is in the unfortunate position where either savings are required from commissioned services or ensured value for money by delivering further outcomes within existing cash envelope. For a charity to find savings is a substantial challenge, however Calico have proposed alternative contractual arrangements. They include:

·         Reducing the contract value by £35,000 per annum. Over a two-year period, this will deliver a £70,000 saving.

·         The £35,000 will be achieved by reducing staffing resource by 1.5 FTE, reducing the number of support hours delivered from 875 to 800. Assurance has been -provided that the impact on the service would be minimal, given there is flexibility in the model to ensure Calico meet the needs of sufficient referrals. The contract value per annum will reduce from £634,970.77 to £599,970.77.

·         As added value Calico have asked their Personalised Services Manager to complete a supplementary service review, to understand how they could make the service more personalised. Calico have existing good practice with the partnership with East Lancashire CCG, where they have achieved positive outcomes for the customers, including reductions to the public purse.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

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