Issue - meetings

Report CS16027

The Portfolio Holder presented a report outlining three welfare benefits advice contracts from the voluntary sector commissioned by the Local Authority for which a three month contract extension to 30^th June 2016 had been agreed to allow providers time to prepare for forthcoming changes and for commissioners to retender the service as a single contract.  Significant Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) issues had since arisen which had impacted on the funding required to be able to contract for a reduced service for a further year, and it was requested that the existing contracts with Age UK Bromley & Greenwich, Bromley Mencap and Broadway be extended for a further nine month period to 31^st March 2017, following which a reduced welfare benefits advice service would be included in the wider retendering of voluntary sector support services.  This proposal would allow for the future merging of any services required under one contract, allowing savings to be achieved in 2017/18 as part of the wider corporate savings and setting of an overall Council budget, and reduce the level of contract monitoring required.

In response to a question from a Co-opted Member, the Portfolio Holder for Care Services confirmed that it was proposed that these specialist advice services be included in the wider retendering of voluntary sector support services to deliver them in a more effective way, and that specialist welfare benefits advice support would still be available to Bromley residents.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

1)  Agree to the proposed extension of the three existing welfare benefits advice contracts for a period of nine months from 1^st July 2016 to 31^st March 2017 under Contract Procurement Rule 3.7; and,

2)  Agree that future specialist welfare advice can be included in the retendering of voluntary sector support services.