Agenda item

Report ACH23-002

The Committee considered a report providing monitoring updates on the infrastructure support to voluntary services.

The support to the Voluntary, Community, Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector contract was provided by Community Links Bromley (CLB). The Council supported the capacity, capability and sustainability of the local VCSE sector by funding a dedicated resource to coordinate, advocate and strengthen the sector and to support the needs of the local population. The current contract was awarded to CLB in September 2020, following a competitive tender. It commenced on 1^st October 2020 for a five-year period to September 2025, with the option to extend for up to a further two years to September 2027. The annual value of the contract was £156k with a whole life value of £1.09m to September 2027. The report provided a summary of how the service had performed from October 2020 to September 2022, in addressing the requirements of the specification, in demonstrating how community-based support could be a key element in prevention and early intervention and to help to reduce demand for Council and health funded services.

The Integrated Strategic Commissioner advised that the key areas CLB focused on were:

-  Providing information, advice and guidance to the sector so they were aware of key issues. This communication was provided through emails, bulletins and social media platforms

-  Drawing external funding and investment into the sector. This was a key challenge for the voluntary sector, however a significant proportion of the 5-year target had already been leveraged.

-  Hosting the Simply Connect Bromley database, including a central point for registering volunteers and linking them with organisations. They had also launched a volunteering awards ceremony.

-  They were the voice of the voluntary sector, participating at a key strategic boards, including the Health and Wellbeing Board and Bromley Safeguarding Adults Board.

In response to questions, the Integrated Strategic Commissioner said that there were further individual elements of work being undertaken in the community. There were a number of projects helping to tackle loneliness and Bromley Well had produced a map pinpointing the various organisations offering warm hubs across the borough, and the other referral/signposting services provided. This was available on their website and CLB also highlighted this in their weekly bulletin. With regards to increasing the number of contacts for encouraging people into volunteering, the Head of Service for Community Living Commissioning advised that the Principal Loneliness Champion was working with CLB to link with the work being undertaken to tackle loneliness. CLB hosted the Simply Connect Bromley database and Members were encouraged to identify any service gaps they were aware of. The Executive Assistant for Adult Care and Health and Loneliness Champion noted that, as mentioned earlier in the meeting, the Principal Loneliness Champion was looking to ensure that every department within the Council considered loneliness as part of its day to day work, and it was hoped that this would assist these communications.

RESOLVED that the content of the contract monitoring report on the performance of Community Links Bromley be noted.