Agenda item

To consider a confidential report by Councillor Rhys Thomas, Lead Member for Housing and Communities (copy enclosed) relating to a number of Housing Support Grant Services.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)      approves the procurement of the “Keep My Home” Contract with an increased value of £185k totaling £685k per annum, and to agree to extend the current three contracts to September 2025 whilst the procurement takes place and ensure that provision of service is maintained.  In addition, Cabinet also agrees to a variation of the current Wallich contract to provide a pilot mediation service during the extension period to September 2025.  The proposal was for a 3-year contract with the option to extend for an additional 2 years, Commissioning Form (Appendix 1 to the report);

(b)      approve the issuing of an open tender for the “Refuge and Floating Support Service” Contract currently provided by Domestic Abuse Safety Unit North Wales.  The proposal was for a recommissioned service for 5 years plus the option to extend for an additional 2 years;

(c)      agree to combine the current 3 externally delivered “Mental Health Floating Support Service” projects which were currently contracted to 31 October 2024 into one central project and incorporate the service into the existing mental health and well-being team (as detailed in Appendix 5 to the report), and to waive the call-in facility to avoid the risk of not being able to give the required 3 months’ notice on 31 July to the current contract providers, and

(d)      confirms that it has read, understood, and taken account of the Wellbeing Impact Assessments as set out in Appendices 2 and 4 to the report as part of its consideration.

Councillor Rhys Thomas presented the confidential report which provided information relating to a number of Housing Support Grant Services and recommended actions.

Cabinet was provided with information in relation to –

·       the revised proposal for a new holistic, housing related support project ‘Keep My Home’ designed to support people living in Denbighshire to sustain their accommodation and prevent homelessness

·       proposals for the future of the Supported Housing (Refuge and Floating Support) contract, which offered a needs led, person-centred support to domestic abuse survivors and their households, and

·       proposals to streamline available provision regarding the Housing Support Grant (HSG) Mental Health Floating Support Provision.

The Head of Adult Social Care and Homelessness and Service Manager – Homelessness Service also attended for this item.  All three projects would be wholly funded from the Denbighshire Housing Support Grant, provided by the Welsh Government.  Further details of each support service were provided together with the reasoning behind the report recommendations.  In respect of the decision relating to the Mental Health Floating Support Service, approval was sought for the call-in facility to be waived given the tight timescales involved in progressing the recommendation.

Cabinet discussed the contents of the report and its recommendations and raised a number of questions with the Lead Member and officers in that regard.  Officers explained the reasoning behind the decision for an external contract in respect of the Keep My Home project given the amount of HSG funding and specialisms/flexibility required with a number of organisations working together which would also reduce management costs and ensure better value with that approach.  The Mental Health Support Service was a smaller service with less risk in bringing the service in-house given the value of the contract was much lower and the intention was to enhance the existing in-house provision.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)      approves the procurement of the “Keep My Home” Contract with an increased value of £185k totaling £685k per annum, and to agree to extend the current three contracts to September 2025 whilst the procurement takes place and ensure that provision of service is maintained.  In addition, Cabinet also agrees to a variation of the current Wallich contract to provide a pilot mediation service during the extension period to September 2025.  The proposal was for a 3-year contract with the option to extend for an additional 2 years, Commissioning Form (Appendix 1 to the report);

(b)      approve the issuing of an open tender for the “Refuge and Floating Support Service” Contract currently provided by Domestic Abuse Safety Unit North Wales.  The proposal was for a recommissioned service for 5 years plus the option to extend for an additional 2 years;

(c)      agree to combine the current 3 externally delivered “Mental Health Floating Support Service” projects which were currently contracted to 31 October 2024 into one central project and incorporate the service into the existing mental health and well-being team (as detailed in Appendix 5 to the report), and to waive the call-in facility to avoid the risk of not being able to give the required 3 months’ notice on 31 July to the current contract providers, and

(d)      confirms that it has read, understood, and taken account of the Wellbeing Impact Assessments as set out in Appendices 2 and 4 to the report as part of its consideration.