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The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Care/DASS which informed Members that the Council’s contractual arrangements for the delivery of care and support services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism ended in 2020. The Council has a statutory duty to deliver care and support services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism based on assessed Care Act 2014 needs to support some of Oldham’s most vulnerable adults residing in supported living accommodation.

To meet its obligations, the Council proposes to utilise the Greater Manchester (M) Framework for Supporting People to Live Well at Home, which is being tendered by Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) as the lead authority for the 10 GM authorities and will be available to the Council and other contracting authorities from its commencement. Tenders have been received and are being evaluated with STaR procurement advising RMBC. The estimated commencement date is 1^st April 2025. The new contractual arrangements will replace the current GM Learning Disabilities and Autism Flexible Procurement System which expires on 31^st March 2025.

The Council entered into a Framework Agreement with six service providers in 2016 to deliver care and support services to eligible service users living in named properties (owned by third party landlords). The service providers were allocated to properties and all orders for services were directed to the relevant service provider attached to the relevant property. The Framework Agreements for the delivery of services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism ended in 2020. Since then, any additional placements required have been made with the previously appointed service providers in respect of those service users residing in the properties listed in the Annex to this report, using the framework approach.

In addition, individual placement arrangements have been made for service users requiring an out of borough placement where there is a limited market, where there was either a need to place out of borough for safety and best interest needs, or where there was not any appropriate provision in Borough.

Where possible, the Council has been placing orders under the current GM Learning Disabilities and Autism Flexible Procurement System, but this flexible system closed on 31^st March 2025.

Therefore to meet its statutory obligation to deliver a range of care and support services which meet assessed needs, the Council proposes to utilise the GM Framework for Supporting People to Live Well at Home, which is being tendered by RMBC and will be available to the Council and other contracting authorities from its commencement.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1: to maintain the existing ad hoc service provision arrangements with the current providers of the required services.

Option 2: Cease Delivery of Supported Living Services – to discontinue the provision of care and support services for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.

Option 3: To procure Services via the GM Supporting People to Live Well at Home FPS Agreement (Preferred Option) - for the immediate in-borough requirements (for current service users resident in the in the properties listed in the Annex to this report and any new service users who move into the properties when accommodation becomes available), proceed with a mini competition under the GM Framework for Supporting People to Live Well at Home, procured by RMBC. For future in-borough and out of borough ad hoc arrangements, procure all requirements in accordance with the GM Framework for Supporting People to Live Well at Home. This option ensures a compliant and transparent process to secure high-quality care and support services through the GM Framework for Supporting People to Live Well at Home.

Option 3 was the preferred Option.

Resolved:

1.    The Cabinet grants approval for Oldham Council to call-off any care and support (supported living) services it requires during the term of the GM Supporting People to Live Well at Home flexible framework arrangements  which are planned to  commence on 1 April 2025 in order to meet the assessed needs of service users.

2.    The Cabinet grants approval to carry out a mini procurement exercise (competition) under Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council’s flexible framework arrangements for Supporting People to Live Well at Home, in respect of in-borough care and support (supported living) services:

(a)  for existing residents in the properties listed in the Annex to this report; and

(b)  for any replacement service users which take occupation in the properties

3.    The Cabinet grants approval to carry out mini procurement competitions as and when required under the GM Supporting People to Live Well at Home flexible framework arrangements for the provision of care and support (supported living) services of any nature to new service users who: are not resident in the properties listed in the Annex to this report, but

are or will be resident in properties in or outside of the Oldham borough.

4.    The Cabinet grants approval, if requested, to enter into Call-Off Contracts with the successful service providers referenced in recommendations 3 and 4 above who will be appointed from time to time by the Council under and in accordance with the GM Supporting People to Live Well at Home flexible framework arrangements.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Public Health, the purpose of which was to note the allocation of grant funding for 2025/26 to improve Drug and Alcohol treatment and recovery provision and outcomes in the borough.

Approval was also sought to delegate authority to agree all decisions related to the utilisation of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Grant (DATRIG) to the Director of Public Health, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health, and Wellbeing. This will include the authority to vary existing contracts (and any associated collaborative commissioning agreements) or award grant agreements or contracts stemming from a compliant procurement process. It is also requested that authority is delegated to the Interim Borough Solicitor or nominee to carry out all necessary legal formalities, including the execution of any contracts.

Options/alternatives considered:

Option 1: to accept the recommendations in the submitted report, because it will ensure that the Council can continue to improve prevention and early intervention around drugs and alcohol, improve access to treatment and recovery services and improve quality of provision to ensure that Oldham residents receive the best possible support to tackle drug and alcohol related harm, which will in turn improve health outcomes and reduce the number of drug and alcohol related deaths. 

Option 2: To reject the recommendations in the submitted report and not to accept the DATRIG grant. This Option was not recommended, as investment of grant funding in the Council’s current drug and alcohol treatment and recovery offer to date has made a difference in terms of increasing numbers in treatment but more needs to be done to improve quality of provision, as per the intentions of the DATRIG, and to improve the recovery offer locally. 

The preferred Option was Option 1.

Resolved:

The Cabinet resolved to:

1.    Note and accept the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Grant (DATRIG) settlement for 2025/26, including the conditions of funding outlined in this report and that the DATRIG is limited to 12 months of funding, and agree that the grant funding is allocated to Public Health to enact, in line with the grant conditions.

2.    Delegate authority for the execution of all decisions regarding utilisation of the funding from the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Improvement Grant 2025/26 to the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing.

3.    Delegate authority to the Director of Public Health, in conjunction with the Borough Solicitor and Director of Finance (or their nominees), to vary existing contracts (and any associated collaborative commissioning agreements), issue grant agreements or award contracts stemming from a compliant procurement process.

4.    Delegate authority be delegated to the Borough Solicitor or their nominee to carry out all necessary legal formalities linked to the actions delegated to the Director of Public Health, including the execution of contracts.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Public Health, the purpose of which was to note and accept the increased notional Public Health budget settlement for Oldham in 2025/26.

Further, approval was sought, from the Cabinet to delegate authority to the Director of Public Health, after consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Health, and Wellbeing to agree all spending decisions related to, and any decisions taken in respect of procurement or contract modification activity linked to the notional Public Health budget settlement for Oldham in 2025/26.

In the 2025 to 2026 financial year, the total public health grant by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to local authorities, under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003, will be £3.858 billion in total. This included the notional amounts for the 10 Greater Manchester (GM) local authorities under the business rate retention arrangement.

Oldham Council was one of the 10 GM local authorities piloting the business rate retention for public health and, therefore, no longer received a public health grant, which is why the funding values referenced in the DHSC grant award were notional allocations only. However, the impact of the business rate retention arrangement in GM is that whilst the 10 GM authorities, including Oldham, had agreed through GMCA to forgo the public health grant, each council retained higher shares of business rates.

The notional public health grant allocation for 2025/26 was confirmed as £19,853,309, which was an increase of £1,014,142 from the published allocation for 2024/25 and which corresponded to a per-head allocation of £81.19.

The notional public health grant settlement for Oldham will be received from the GM business rate retention arrangement rather than through the public health grant. Therefore, as a result, the GM authorities would not be subject to all the terms and conditions of the public health grant, as imposed by the DHSC.

On average, people in Oldham are less healthy than those in other parts of the North-West region and when compared to the England average. Oldham’s communities have wide ranging health and wellbeing needs, and these can vary significantly between different groups. It is important that the Public Health funding is invested effectively, to address identified health and wellbeing needs, ensuring the greatest possible positive impact on the health and wellbeing of Oldham’s people.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1: To approve the recommendations set out in the submitted report.

Option 2: Do not allocate the value of the Public Health settlement for 2025/26 to the Public Health budget via the Business Rates Retention Pilot - This would mean that the Public Health Department would not have the funding in 2025/26 to provide public health support to the value of the Public Health Settlement for 2025/26. 

The preferred Option was Option 1.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet approves: 

1.    The notional DHSC 2025/26 Public Health budget settlement for Oldham of £19.8m.

2.    That the value of the Public Health settlement for 2025/26 of £19.8m shall be allocated to the public health budget via the Business Rates Retention Pilo.t

3.    The delegation of authority to the Director of Public Health after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing to make all spending decisions relating to the Public Health settlement for 2025/26.

4.    The delegation of authority to the Director of Public Health in consultation with the Director of Finance (where required) to procure, award, and modify all contracts stemming from spending decisions relating to the Public Health settlement for 2025/26 and from a compliant procurement process.

5.    The delegation of authority to the Borough Solicitor or their nominee to carry out all necessary legal formalities linked to the above approvals, including the signing and sealing of contracts.

The Cabinet received a report of the Assistant Director of Customer Experience that was seeking approval, from members, to allocate grant funding of £4,264,066.44 from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to Oldham Council to deliver the seventh round of the Household Support Fund (HSF) from 1^st April 2025 to 31^st March 2026.

HSF had been designed to support vulnerable households in most need with the cost of essentials during the funding period.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1: The extension of the Household Support Fund scheme continues to provide crisis support to low-income households living in Oldham. The support provided is well established and are all deliverable within the timeframe outlined within the DWP’s scheme guidance.

Option 2: to do nothing and not accept the Household Support Fund.

Option 1 was the preferred Option.

Resolved:

1.    That the Cabinet agrees to approve the scheme, outlined in Table 1 of the report, noting that the proposed option balances supporting specific cohorts with providing support across a range of low-income households. The scheme proposed will ensure that the full grant funding is spent in accordance with the grant funding criteria from the DWP within the limited time allocated.

2.    The Cabinet notes that data and insight have been used to inform the proposed options in addition to engagement with teams delivering the fund and that there are four thematic areas which have been established to formulate priority areas for allocation of the grant funding:

·         Children and Young People – preventing holiday hunger.

·         Energy costs – delivering urgent and proactive support.

·         Housing – supporting sustainable tenancies.

·         Crisis Support – providing a prompt response and signposting to wider support.