Issue - meetings

Report CS17131A

The Care Services Portfolio Holder introduced a report providing an overview of the tendering process to establish a framework of providers for the provision of essential household items needed to meet the basic requirements of homeless people leaving temporary accommodation and moving into settled accommodation.

The Welfare Reform Act 2012 ended the provision of Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans under the Discretionary Social Fund for living expenses provided by the Department for Work and Pensions with funding transferred to the Local Authority from 1^st April 2013.  In July 2014, the Portfolio Holder for Resources approved the adoption of a white goods and furniture welfare scheme for a two year period from 1^st April 2015 to ensure the Local Authority met its statutory duty to provide suitable settled accommodation for statutory homeless households, at which time three companies were appointed to the Framework.  The services purchased through the Framework had generally been satisfactory although having so few providers on the framework had been identified as a risk, and it was proposed that a new framework agreement be introduced from 1^st April 2017 to allow for an increased number of providers to be appointed.  It was also proposed that the Children’s Leaving Care Team have access to the new framework to purchase essential household items for care leavers under the Setting up Home allowance.

In considering the report, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that this scheme was supported by the remaining funds in the Discretionary Social Fund which would enable the scheme to continue for a further two years at the current level of demand.  A business case would need to be developed around how this scheme could be funded in future years and this should take into account the cost savings realised by supporting people to move from expensive temporary accommodation into permanent accommodation.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder for Care Services be recommended to note the Part 1 (Public) Information Report when considering the recommendations in the Part 2 (Exempt) Information Report to award the contract.