Agenda item

The Chairman moved that the attached report, not included in the published agenda, be considered as a matter of urgency on the following grounds

At their meeting on 15^th January 2014, the Executive requested that the Committee consider this item in advance of the Executive taking a decision on the matter

At the Executive meeting on 15^th January 2014, a gateway review on tenancy support for homeless people was considered. The Executive agreed that it would be helpful for the Care Services PDS Committee to consider the matter before a decision was taken. As such, it was agreed to include the report on this agenda.

The report informed the committee of a proposal for retendering the current support service for homeless people. During the course of the current contract, Riverside ECHG had improved on their previous performance in successfully moving on homeless people from the hostel provision.  Over the first 3 years of the contract, 85% of tenants departing from the scheme moved into permanent accommodation. This performance had increased to 90% during the last year. 

Riverside had also made significant improvements at the scheme by offering tenants the opportunity to undertake meaningful activity whilst resident. This can take the form of education, vocational training or volunteering.  In addition all tenants were required to take part in life skills training, which included budgeting, cooking and gardening skills.  Provision of this support vastly increased the chances of the users being able to sustain an independent tenancy when they moved on from the scheme.

The recipients of this service were amongst the most vulnerable adults who were placed by the Council; experiencing mental ill health or substance misuse problems in addition to their homeless status.  This accommodation was selected when available in preference to bed and breakfast where there was an increased risk both to and from the tenant and to other users of the accommodation when there was no supervision or support service in place.

Although the Council currently had 100% nomination rights to the scheme if it ceased to use these the landlord would need to make up its rental income from other sources and could take nominations from other local authorities,  meaning there would be a risk that Bromley would take on the liability of service users with serious on-going social and medical problems from other boroughs.

An alternative option for the Council would be to place the service users in bed and breakfast accommodation.  The relative unit costs were £106 per week for this contract, as opposed to at least £186 per week for nightly paid accommodation. 

Officers informed Members that without the extension it was unlikely the landlord would be willing to make the units available to Bromley.  There were 49 units at Riverside and without these Bromley would have to look elsewhere for Homeless provision and possibly at a greater cost. The unit was closely monitored by a monitoring officer who worked closely with the provider as well as Housing Officers.

RESOLVED that the report is noted and the Portfolio Holder is requested to recommend the re-tendering of the current contract.