Decision details

The Cabinet Member received a report on the re-modelling of Supporting People Services.

Supporting People short tem services were floating (visiting) support and hostel type services for vulnerable people who needed specialised short term support, either because they were homeless and/or because they need help to develop the basic skills needed to move forward to live independently.

Many of these services support the Council in meeting its statutory duties under various Housing Acts to accommodate homeless people.

A key aspect of the replacement services was a requirement for providers to actively work to prevent homelessness and also to work with the private sector more closely in order to accommodate people in housing need.

The services in Cheshire East had remained largely unchanged since the introduction of the Supporting People funding framework in April 2003.

Following a strategic review of these services disparities had been identified between the need and current provision.  In practice this meant that some services were currently only available in some parts of the Borough and not in others. 

The remodelling and re-procurement of short term Supporting People services followed a consultation exercise involving a series of meetings with service users, stakeholders and existing providers.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the work undertaken to re-model supporting people services be endorsed and in doing so provides Member level approval for the Council to enter into formal contract agreements.

(2)       the intention to seek new providers in time for service implementation on 1 April 2013 be noted.