Issue details

Proposed decision –
AWARD contracts for the provision of Community Based Wellbeing Services for a period of three years with the option to extend for further single year periods of up to two years;
DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director Finance, to agree the relevant contract extensions as required; and
DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision.

Reason for the decision:

Adult Social Care has historic grant arrangements in place with voluntary and community sector providers across the county. These grants provide a contribution towards the costs of services that support older people, people living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people with sensory impairments.

There are issues related to use of historic grant arrangements including an inconsistency in the type of support and services funded across the county, lack of correlation between spend and demographic factors, limitations in the ability to monitor the performance of services and therefore to understand the impact that services have on people.

A phased procurement process was commenced early in 2020 to award a number of contracts to replace the historic grant arrangements. The three contracts to be awarded in Phase One will be for services to support older people (55+) in West Kent, support older people in Thanet and South Kent Coast, and support people with sensory impairments across the county.

This decision supports KCC’s Strategic Statement through supporting key providers that deliver services to older and vulnerable residents that will ensure they are safe and supported with choices to live independently. This decision relates to the proposal within the Strategic Delivery Plan of moving organisations from grants to contracts.

This decision supports the Strategic Reset programme by implementing Asset Based Commissioning.

The contracts will enable the Council to meet its duties under the Care Act 2014 by promoting wellbeing for individuals and their Carers, through the provision of information and advice that enables people to make choices about their care, by preventing or delaying people deteriorating to the point where they require health or social care support and through supporting market sustainability.