Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and Economy, on the housing support service at Naughton Fields and at the new Barkla Fields extra care housing scheme.

 The Board was advised that the Council currently funded the Halton Housing Trust (HHT) Amethyst Living service, providing housing support to clients based in three sheltered housing schemes and those dispersed in the community. Following a decision by Executive Board on 12 March 2015, the annual contract, due to expire on 31 March 2016, could be extended to 31 March 2017. It was reported that, after lengthy negotiations with HHT, in principle agreement had been reached with HHT for the terms on which they would be willing to provide a housing support service at Naughton Fields and at Barkla Fields. Details of the proposed annual cost of delivering the service were set out in the report.

The ‘in principle’ terms, set out in the report, included payment by monthly block grant rather than a subsidy; clients to be assessed and charged for the service by the Council; the hours of service, with a review after six months; and the return of the re-ablement rota to the Council’s wider

Re-ablement Service (with no TUPE implications).

The report provided details of the Business Case and sought approval of the proposal, which would provide a better integrated support service for the residents of the two extra care schemes.

RESOLVED: That

1)    acting under Procurement Standing Order 1.8.3, the Board agrees to waive Procurement Standing Orders 4.1 and 4.2 (contracts below the EU procurement thresholds); and

2)    the Operational Director, Commissioning and Complex Care, be authorised to make a direct contract award of the housing support service at Naughton Fields and Barkla Fields to Halton Housing Trust, at a cost of £83,850 per annum, with a contract expiry date of 31 March 2017.