Part 1
ITEM NO.
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REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR FOR SUSTAINABLE REGENERATION
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TO THE
LEAD MEMBER FOR CUSTOMER AND SUPPORT SERVICES ON 6th JUNE 2011
and LEAD MEMBER FOR HOUSING ON 6th JUNE 2011
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TITLE: AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR THE PROVISION OF A TENANCY
SUPPORT SERVICE FOR ADULTS WITH A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND A GROUP
FACILITATOR POST.
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RECOMMENDATION:
The Lead Member for Customer and Support Services:
Approves an exception being made to the City Council’s standing orders
in order to enable the award of a contract to ‘Henshaw’s Society for the
Blind’ on the grounds that the realisation of £40k would not be achieved
this financial year if tendering was required.
The Lead Member for Housing:
Awards a two year Steady State contract, to ‘Henshaw’s Society for the
Blind’ for the provision of a tenancy support service for adults with a visual
impairment and the additional provision of a group facilitator who will work
with the 3 existing social clubs for adults with visual impairments to enable
them to self manage by the end of the contract. The contract will run from
1st April 2011 to 31st March 2013.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
1.
Following a service review and discussions with Community Health and
Social Care, it was recommended that a two year contract is awarded to
Henshaw’s Society for the Blind. This is on the basis of the existing service
being reconfigured to include both direct support and the addition of a group
facilitator role, and therefore offers increased value for money. This new
service will also enable Community Health & Social Care to end an existing
contract with Henshaws, and deliver approximate efficiencies of £40k p.a. A
10% reduction of the Supporting People contract value has also been
agreed with the provider giving an annual saving of £3,330.
2.
Approval from the Lead Member for Customer and Support Services is
sought so that an exception can be made to the City Council’s standing
orders in order to realise £40k savings that would not be achieved this
financial year, if tendering was required. The annual contract value of
£29,189 will be funded from the Supporting People element of Salford’s
Formula Grant.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:
Salford City Council Corporate Procurement Handbook 2009
Supporting People Strategy 2005 – 2010
Salford’s Local Area Agreement 2008 - 2011
Salford’s Community Safety Strategy
Improving the life chances of disabled people in Salford (2009 – 2013)
KEY DECISION:
YES
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DETAILS:
1.0 Background
1.1 The Supporting People Programme delivers housing related support
services to vulnerable people in Salford; it was introduced in April 2003
and was ring fenced solely for the purpose of commissioning housing
related support services.
1.2 From April 2010 the ring fence was removed and the grant now forms
part of Salford’s Formula Grant funding. This change allows increased
flexibility with the use of Supporting People funding and importantly it
enables the development and commissioning of jointly funded services
where outcomes, identified within Salford’s Local Area Agreement, can be
achieved for the citizens of Salford. However, it should be noted that in
the current economic climate, there is a requirement to manage the
programme within the context of reducing funding and processes are in
place to manage a reducing programme.
1.3 The Supporting People Programme currently funds a total of 245
services, managed by 55 provider organisations, supporting 5793 people
across 19 different client groups.
1.4 Supporting People Commissioning Body governs the programme; this is
a partnership of lead officers and commissioners from Salford City
Council Sustainable Regeneration Directorate and Community Health and
Social Care, Salford Probation Service, and the Primary Care Trust with
representation from the service provider network.
2.0 Detail
2.1 The Crowngreen Rd service provides tenancy support to six adults with a
visual impairment who live in 6 self contained flats. The support is geared
to enabling the service users to maintain their tenancies, remaining as
independent as possible and accessing local services. Following a review
of the service and discussions with Community Health and Social Care
who also provide funding to the provider for other services, it was decided
to incorporate a second limb to the service. This would build on the
existing social clubs which Henshaws have been supporting for many
years so that the clubs are self administrating at the end of the contract
term.
2.2 The provider has the skills and infrastructure in place to enable the
maximum outcomes and savings from the current services for visually
impaired adults. Supporting People contracts would, in usual
circumstances, be tendered through the preferred provider framework. It
is felt that this proposal does not fit usual circumstances because
‘Henshaws Society for the Blind’ is able to provide the City Council with a
service that incorporates the aims of Community Health and Social Care
as well as Supporting People in a much more effective and cost efficient
way than a tendering process . Therefore, the Lead Member for Customer
and Support Services is asked to approve the making of an exception
under the City Council’s standing orders to allow the contract to be
offered direct to ‘Henshaws Society for the Blind’.
2.3 The service offered by ‘Henshaws Society for the Blind’ directly
contributes towards achieving Supporting People Key Performance
Indicator 1 - the percentage of vulnerable people maintaining independent
living.
3.0 Conclusion
3.1 Approval is now sought from Lead Member for Customer and Support
Services to make an exception under the City Council’s standing orders
to allow the contract to be offered direct to ‘Henshaws Society for the
Blind’.
3.2 Approval is then sought from Lead Member for Housing to award a two
year steady state contract to ‘Henshaw’s Society for the Blind’ for the
delivery of a tenancy support service for adults with a visual impairment
and the additional provision of a group facilitator who will work with the 3
existing social clubs for adults with visual impairments to enable them to
self manage by the end of the contract. The contract will run from 1st April
2011 to March 31st 2013. The annual contract value is £29,189, funded
from the Supporting People budget.
KEY COUNCIL POLICIES:
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Salford Supporting People Strategy 2005 – 2010;
Salford Housing Strategy 2008 – 2011;
The Salford Agreement 2008 – 2011;
The Community Action plan 2006 – 2016;
Salford’s Community Safety Strategy; and
Improving the life chances of disabled people in Salford (2009 – 2013).
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EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND IMPLICATIONS:
All organisations that have contracts in place with the Supporting People Team have
been robustly assessed in a number of areas; this included assessment of their
policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality and diversity.
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ASSESSMENT OF RISK: MEDIUM
If this proposal is not approved and subsequently the service ceased, there is a risk
that the housing and support needs of adults with visual impairment would not be
met and this may impact on the City Councils ability to achieve targets to support
vulnerable people to achieve independent living.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING: Supporting People budget 2012
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LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Supplied by Tony Hatton x 2904
The award of the contract will commit the Council to a two year contract. If Salford
City Council, or the provider wished to end the contract at any time then the contract
ought to provide for either party to serve notice.
The Council Constitution provides that usual standing orders rules may be waived or
excepted “where there is a sole supplier of patented or proprietary articles, or
materials or services exclusively provided by a statutory undertaker or other bodies”
(Part 4, Section 7, Para 2.1.(a)), (the report refers to the supplier providing the
service “in a much more effective and cost efficient way” to justify the waiving of
standing orders), by a Lead Member for Customer and Support Services record of
decision (Part 4, section 7, para 2.2).
Any other legal implications will be considered if / when Legal is requested to
prepare, approve or review contractual documentation in respect of the service.
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FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Supplied by Alison Swinnerton X2585
The costs of this proposal can be funded from the current approved Supporting
People budget allocation for 2011/12.
PROCUREMENT IMPLICATIONS: Sharon Robson x 6226
The request to waiver Contractual Standing Orders is on the basis of Value for
Money. The recommendation is for a 2 year contract, with no option to extend and
the intention to re-tender at the end of two years. There would still be a minor risk of
challenge from other organisations but we would suggest this risk is low in view of
the small contract value and our intention to re-tender within two years. We believe
this risk could be defended. We will use the two year extension period to assess the
current service and allow us to commence a fully informed tender process.
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OTHER DIRECTORATES CONSULTED:
Key partners from Community Health and Social Care and the PCT have been
involved with developing the specification for the new service and Community Health
and Social Care initially approached the Supporting People Team regarding the
additional role the service could have in order to make efficiencies in their
directorate.
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CONTACT OFFICER: Glyn Meacher TEL. NO. Extension 8752
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WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S): All wards
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