Decision details

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet accepts the following tenders for support services following a procurement process:

1.    To the Carers Trust Hillingdon & Ealing for the provision of Carer Support Service (ASC) for 5 years at the value of £519k p.a. from 4^th April, 2025 and at a total value of £2,595k for the initial contract period, and an optional up to 3 years extension period for the value of £1,557k.

2.    To Hillingdon Mind for the provision of a Mental Health Early Intervention/ Prevention Programme (ASC) for 5 years and an optional up to 3 years extension period from 4th April 2025 at the value of £230k p.a. and at a total value of £1,150k for the initial contract period and £690k for the extension period;

3.    To Hillingdon Advice Partnership, a collaboration of the following providers Age UK Hillingdon Harrow and Brent (lead provider) in partnership with 4 locally based and leading not for profit providers who are  Nucleus,  Disability Advice and Support Hillingdon (DASH) and Bell Farm Christian Centre, for the provision of Information Advice Guidance and Wellbeing for adults (Lot 1) (ASC) for 5 years and an optional up to 3 years extension period from 2^nd June 2025 and at a value of £749,831.32 p.a. and at a  total value of £3,749,157 for the initial contract value and £2,249,494 for the extension period;

4.    To People Potential possibilities (P3) for the provision of Information Advice Guidance and Wellbeing for young people/ care leavers and homelessness support (Lot 2) (Children’s Services and Housing Needs) for 5 years and an optional up to 3 years at a value of £164,802 p.a. and at a total value of £824,010 and £494,406 for the extension period;

5.    To People Potential Possibilities (P3) for the provision of Information Advice Guidance and Wellbeing for children and families (Lot 3) (ASC and Children’s Services) for 5 years and an optional up to 3 years from 2^nd June 2025 and at a value of £136,152 p.a. and at a total value of £680,760 and £408,456 for the extension period;

6.    To mobilise the new contracts set out above, that Cabinet agrees to short-term extensions to the existing contracts at a value of £189.5k for the services currently provided as set out in Appendix A.

That Cabinet authorises two direct contract awards as follows:

7.    To Hillingdon Women’s Centre for the provision of domestic abuse provision offering one-to-one casework for women in crisis, empowering them to make safe and informed decisions to reduce the risk of harm for them and their children. The support enables women to become safe, supported, and independent when faced with Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and abuse for a three-year period from 1st April 2025 to 31 March 2028 and at a value of £30k p.a. and at a total value of £90k for the period;

8.    To Home-Start Hillingdon for the provision of emotional and practical support to parents of children up to and including 2 years of age for a three-year period from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2028 at a value of £120k p.a. and at a total value of £360k for the period;

That in respect of Healthwatch Services, Cabinet agrees to:

9.    Delegate authority to the Leader of the Council, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, to authorise any contracts following the retendering of the Healthwatch Hillingdon Service contract for a five-year contract with the option to extend for up to a further three years.

Reasons for decision

The Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care moved a number of recommendations in the report, agreed by the Cabinet, to commission strategic contracts and direct awards for Information, advice, guidance, and wellbeing support from the voluntary sector to promote active, resilient communities and reduce pressure on statutory services. Cabinet also delegated decisions on Healthwatch services. Additionally, ensure a smooth transition in some service areas, short-term extensions of existing contracts were agreed. The Cabinet Member outlined the importance of, and success with, the Council’s work with the voluntary sector.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to cease support to the voluntary sector, but this was rejected due to their valuable early intervention and preventative support in Hillingdon. Bringing services in-house was also discounted as the voluntary sector was better placed to support communities and cost-effective. Not delegating authority for a new Healthwatch contract was not recommended as it could extend interim arrangements and risk breaching statutory responsibilities.

List of short-term contract sub-decisions made by Cabinet, in relation to its primary decision no. 6 set out in Appendix A of the confidential report:

1.    Information, Advice, Guidance and Wellbeing for Adults (Lot 1) (ASC) – noting the budget for the four contracts will mobilise into one contract:

a)    To Age UK Hillingdon, Harrow, and Brent for the provision of a range of services to older people including information, advice, guidance and wellbeing advice; opportunities to socialise and connect (including digitally) for a period of two months from 1^st April 2025 and at a value of £83.33k;

b)   To the Citizens Advice Hillingdon for two Contracts: the provision of benefits, debt, employment, housing and consumer advice, information, and guidance; and a separate mental health needs focused service; for a period of two months from 1^st April 2025 and at the values of £47.5k and £10k;

c)    To the Bell Farm Christian Centre for the provision of information, advice, guidance, and wellbeing support for West Drayton community for a period of two months from 1^st April 2025 and at the value of £16.67k;

d)   To the Disability Advice and Support Hillingdon (DASH) for the provision of advice, information, guidance, and wellbeing support with a particular focus on income maximisation for people with a disability for a period of two months from 1^st April 2025 and at the value of £12.5k;

2.    The following short-term contract extensions relating to the mobilisation lead in time in relation to the advice service for families Lot 3:

e)    To P3 for family advice for a period of two months from 1^st April 2025 and at the value of £12.83k;

f)     To HACS for advice for families where their child has autism for a two-month period from 1^st April 2025 and at the value of £6.67k;