Issue - meetings

Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Support Services

Meeting: 05/07/2022 - Executive (Item 66)

66 Proposed changes and re-procurement of outreach-led rough sleeping services pdf icon PDF 363 KB

To consider the report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Agreed:

 

RECOMMENDED that Council approve:-

 

(1)  the undertaking of a procurement process compliant with the provisions of the Council’s Procurement and Contract procedures and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in order to identify a provider to deliver a remodelled homelessness and rough sleeping service; and

 

(2)  entering into a contract with the successful tenderer.

 

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Executive received the report on how improvements could be made to the effectiveness of the Council’s current commissioned outreach services to help target and reduce rough sleeping in the city. Following the successful work with partners and the successful funding bid to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), the Council was proposing to procure a remodelled service to better help meet the needs of people already rough sleeping in the city and those who were at risk of rough sleeping.

 

The Service Lead Housing Needs and Homelessness explained that the remodelled service would merge together the former Rough Sleeping Outreach Service, Housing First Floating Support and Navigator Services and briefly outlined how the remodelled service would function. To date, services had been procured and delivered individually. Rough sleepers commonly had contact with the Rough Sleeping Assertive Outreach team, Housing First Support service and the Navigator service. Whilst collaborative working existed, there would now be more flexibility across the services with all three above services brought together and operating as a remodelled Homelessness and Rough Sleeping service.

 

The new provider would work with the Council to continue to reduce rough sleeping in the city and the remodelled project would be an integral feature of the new Exeter Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategyexpected in Autumn 2022.

 

During the discussion, the following points were made:-

 

·         flexible working across the three services would lead to improved shared working, taking advantage of the existing knowledgeable and experienced staff working in these areas; and

·         working with partners, the Council’s successful bid for Government funding will help address Exeter’s rough sleeping needs and greater Government funding should be made available for similar support across the country.

 

RECOMMENDED that Council approve:-

 

(1)  the undertaking of a procurement process compliant with the provisions of the Council’s Procurement and Contract procedures and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in order to identify a provider to deliver a remodelled Homelessness and Rough Sleeping service; and

 

(2)  entering into a contract with the successful tenderer.