The Cabinet received a report of the Director of Adult Social Care, which advised Members that the Council's current contractual arrangements for the delivery of Care at Home, Extra Care and Night Provision support services commenced on 1st April 2019 and, following the approved two-year extension option, was due to expire on 31st March 2026.
Approval to undertake a full open tender process for new Care at Home, Extra Care and Night provision support services was granted by Cabinet on 22nd September 2025, as set out in the Cabinet report titled, “Future commissioning Arrangements for Care at Home, Extra Care support and Night Provision support services.”
The tender process for Care at Home, Extra Care and Night Provision
services was underway. However, due to necessary changes in
procurement timelines including extended tender submission
deadlines which enables full engagement from prospective providers,
evaluation and moderation requirements, and the need to ensure a
safe mobilisation period for any new providers the recommissioning
timetable needed to be revised.
To ensure continuity of care for vulnerable residents, compliance with the Council’s statutory duties under the Care Act 2014, and a safe and well-managed transition to new contractual arrangements, approval was sought to extend the current contracts for a further three months until 30th June 2026, with the new contracts commencing 1st July 2026.
Options/Alternatives considered:
Option 1: to allow the existing Care at Home, Extra Care and Night Provision contracts to expire on 31st March 2026 without extension.
Option 2 (preferred Option): To proceed with the full procurement exercise and approve a three-month extension to the existing contracts, extending them from 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026, with the new contracts commencing on 1 July 2026.
Resolved:
1. That the Cabinet approves a three-month extension of the current contracts for Care at Home, Extra Care and Night Provision from1st April 2026 to 30th June 2026, at an estimated cost of £5.47m.
2. That the Cabinet authorises the new contracts to commence on 1st July 2026.