Agenda item

The Area Council Manager introduced the item referring to the recent procurement of a service to ‘Build emotional resilience and wellbeing in children and young people aged 8-14 years’.  It was noted that the tender evaluation panel had met to initially score applications, with three organisations subsequently being invited to interview.  Members were made aware that a preferred provider had been identified, but that the process was still in a standstill period, and therefore details about the provider could not be made public.  It was likely that the service would commence 1^st April, 2017.

With regards to engaging local providers to deliver a complementary service to build emotional resilience, it was noted that the promotional material would be disseminated in January, with a view to evaluating applications by mid-March, 2017.  It was agreed for any promotional material to be circulated to Members for them to cascade through their networks.

Members went on to consider the progress made to meeting the priority to reduce loneliness and isolation in vulnerable adults and older people.  A task group had met on 24^th November, 2016 to consider the draft business case for a service to reduce isolation in the target group.  Following the meeting a revised business case had been developed, which had been circulated with the Area Council meeting papers.  The meeting discussed the business case in depth, debating whether the age group of 50+ was still appropriate or whether this would result in too large a group, resulting in the dilution of the impact of the service.

It was noted that the business case built on the service currently being provided by RVS, but also included the establishment of groups where a number of individuals needs were similar and where no group currently existed.  Members wished to stress the requirement to ensure that any intervention was focused on the needs of the individual.  Also stressed was the need to ensure the sustainability of any intervention in the long term.

It was noted that, due to the short timescales, and wanting the service to follow on directly from that provided by RVS, the report recommended that the final agreement of a specification of requirements and procurement strategy be delegated to the Executive Director in consultation with members of the task group.  This was discussed, together with the alternative option of holding an extraordinary meeting to consider the procurement documentation.

Members considered the current financial situation for the Area Council, noting that there were a number of allocations projected in future years from existing contracts that could be extended if Members so wished.

RESOLVED:-

(i)        that the outcome of the procurement process to deliver a service to ‘Build emotional resilience and wellbeing in children and young people aged 8-14 years’ be noted;

(ii)       that the progress made in taking forward the process to identify additional local providers to deliver complementary services to build emotional resilience in children and young people aged 8-19 years be noted;

(iii)      that the business case for the procurement of a service to ‘reduce isolation and social isolation in adults (over 50 years) and older people’ be approved’;

(iv)      that the Executive Director Communities be given authority to approve the service specification and procurement strategy to procure a service to ‘reduce loneliness and isolation in adults (over 50 years) and older people’ in liaison with Reducing Loneliness and Isolation Task Group, to a value of £275,000 for a 33 month period, initially being from 3^rd July 2017 to 31^st March, 2018 at a cost of £75,000 with the option to extend the service for two further periods of one year at a cost of £100,000 per annum;

(v)       that the actual financial position for 2014/15 and 2015/16, and the projected expenditure for 2016/17-2019/20 be noted.