Agenda item

1.    The item was introduced by Miss Morton who explained that the decision concerned the Council’s second largest framework and covered commissioning a new “all?age” home care service covering both adults and children.

2.    Ms Gillivan provided an overview of the current service delivery arrangements for Homecare, Care and Support in Prisons and Community Support Services for disabled children and outlined information about the commissioning activity to establish a new Open Framework contract for an All Age Homecare Service (for adults and children). She also detailed recommendations for the future of these services to ensure continued high- quality support, good outcomes for people and value for money. Ms Gillivan reported that the Prisons Service aspect may be required to go live at a later date, due to additional requirements for that contract, with minimal financial cost to KCC.

3.    In response to questions and comments from Members, discussion covered the following:

a)    Concerns were expressed about the £807m framework value and the perceived lack of sufficient financial and service?model detail for a contract of this scale. The use of an 8% annual growth assumption was questioned and clarity was sought on how this related to demand increases versus inflation, considering recent demand trends could imply reductions in unit prices and potential sustainability risks. It was also argued report did not clearly set out how the service model for adults and children would change.

b)    In response to these concerns, Ms Gillivan stated that detailed profiling and financial modelling had been undertaken but that it was not possible to include the full detail in the public report. She undertook to reflect on the Member’s comments in relation to the 8% assumption and to provide further information as appropriate outside the meeting. She emphasised that, for adults and prisons, there would not be a radical change in the nature of service delivery: it would remain regulated home care aimed at supporting people to remain independent at home, with some specification changes informed by detailed market engagement.

c)    Christy Holden, Assistant Director for CYPE Commissioning, explained that for children the new arrangements would allow needs to be categorised more flexibly so that families could be moved between categories in line with changing needs, with costs better aligned to complexity. The underlying nature of care would not change significantly, but the specification and way the service was managed would better reflect children’s needs and help keep them out of care where possible.

4.    RESOLVED that the Adult Social Care and Public Health Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health to:

a)    APPROVE the commissioning of an Open Framework All Age Home Care Service for adults and children to include Homecare, Care and Support in Prisons and Community Support Services for disabled children with the new arrangements to start on 1 April 2027

b)    DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director, Adult Social Care and Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, to take relevant actions including but not limited to, finalising the terms of and entering into required legal agreements, as necessary to award the contract; and

c)    DELEGATE authority the Corporate Director, Adult Social Care and Health to open the Framework at regular intervals to allow new providers to join.

In accordance with paragraph 16.31 of the Constitution, Mr Stuart Jeffery requested for it to be recorded in the minutes that he voted against endorsing the proposed decision.