Decision details

To consider use a variety of procurement and grant funding opportunities to ensure voluntary and community sector preventative services are in place by 1^st April 2015, as detailed in option 2.

With the expiry of the existing contracts (31^st March

2015), a review was undertaken to ensure that the

preventative services funded by ASC maintain wellbeing and thereby delay, reduce

or prevent people from needing long term expensive

statutory care and support.

To do nothing has significant legal implications as

contracts expire on 31^st March 2015 without scope for

further extension and therefore provision needs

to be put in place to ensure the preventative service

delivery can continue.

These include alternative proposals put forward as part of the consultation.

Option 1 - Do Nothing

To do nothing has significant legal implications as contracts expire on 31^st March 2015 without scope for further extension and therefore new provision needs to be put in place to ensure the preventative service delivery can continue.

Option 2 – Procure new VCS services with effect from 1^st April 2015

To use a variety of procurement and grant funding opportunities to ensure new service are in place by 1^st April 2015. Contracted services will be awarded on a 2 year basis with an option to extend over a following 2 years, depending on the availability of future funding.

For advocacy this will mean procuring as per proposal 2 from the consultation proposal – providing specialisms within advocacy.

For counselling this will mean the Council continuing to fund counselling provision on a temporary basis as part of a low level pathway of services, pending a review by the Leicester CCG. Feedback from stakeholders and users reflected how crucial counselling was as part of the mental health pathway and that at this time there is insufficient access to alternative provision.

Further detail with regards to the options is included in the appended Executive Decision report.