Decision details

To jointly enter into a Gloucestershire county contract with Julian House for the delivery of the ‘Rough Sleeper Outreach and Support Service’ (RSOSS).

Julian house will deliver this service for an initial period of three years, commencing on 1 April 2025.  The service may be extended by an additional 12 months three times at the discretion of the Commissioners. 

To note this service will replace the existing “Rough Sleeper Outreach and Support Service ” delivered by P3, from 1 April 2025. 

The funding for the service is jointly commissioned among district authorities across the county, Gloucestershire County Council, the NHS Integrated Care Board and the Police & Crime Commission.

To enable the Council to jointly enter into a Gloucestershire county contract with Julian House for the delivery of the ‘Rough Sleeper Outreach and Support Service’ (RSOSS).  A procurement exercise has taken place and following receipt of a number of bids, Julian House was selected.  This decision notice provides the relevant authority to enter into the relevant contract with Julian House.

The total funding levels for the first three years of the contract are:

For 2024/25, MHCLGhas allocated CBC homelessness prevention grant funding of £402,080, plus an additional ‘windfall’ homelessness prevention grant of £209,030, which takes account of additional homelessness pressures arising from Ukrainian crisis. Both grants are ringfenced for homelessness prevention services, including temporary accommodation provision and statutory homelessness services. The funding must be spent during this financial year.

For years 2 and 3 there will be a 2% uplift to the value of the contract, meaning that CBC will contribute £44,913.41 and £45,811.68 during 2026/27 and 2027/28 respectively. (£22,000 of this funding will continue to be met from CBC’s General Fund each year, with the difference coming from MHCLG’s Homelessness Prevention Grant funding.) Any extension to the contract after year 3 will be subject to the availability of funding, satisfactory performance, etc. 

The Rough Sleepers Outreach and Support service (RSOSS) is designed to ensure we can provide a swift response to rough sleeping by quickly identifying anyone who is rough sleeping in Gloucestershire, and supporting those who are on the streets to access accommodation and other services which they need. It will also have a focus on preventing rough sleeping wherever possible by preventing individuals known to the service from losing accommodation once it is found.

In particular the service will:

- Respond to “Street Link” referrals and undertake proactive checking of known rough sleeping sites to identify and provide support to any individual sleeping on the streets.

- Respond to the individual welfare needs of known rough sleepers to safeguard them from harm wherever possible, and to draw in wider services where required.

- Support rough sleepers to access accommodation: including by providing advice and support in completing Homelessness Applications and/or identifying alternative sources of accommodation.

- Build relationships and provide support to long-term rough sleepers, with the ultimate objective of identifying solutions with those individuals which will enable them to engage with offers of accommodation and support.

The service is intended to be responsive: both to the needs of individuals currently on the streets, and in response to changes in the overall number of those entering the streets. It is our ambition that any downward trajectory of rough sleeping in Gloucestershire will enable this service to transition to focus increasingly on preventative activity over the lifetime of the contract.

Gloucester City Council is the host organisation for the countywide Housing Partnership Programme Team and a Participation Agreement setting out the arrangements by which Gloucester City act as lead contractor for the Partnership is in place.

Partners include Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council, Gloucester City Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council, Stroud District Council, Gloucestershire County Council, NHS Clinical Commissioning group and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire.

Procurement was carried out by way of an open tender.  A total of four suppliers had an opportunity to respond to this tender for the urban lot and four suppliers responded for the rural lot. A Rough Sleeper Outreach Consultation supplier workshop was held in July 2024 to enable potential suppliers to understand the requirement and provide feedback on the tender and service design.

As a result, the above number of providers submitted bids for this service. An evaluation panel including a representative from Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) and the wider Partnership met during mid December 2024 and evaluated the tender bids against a scoring matrix.  The panel has recommended that an award be made to Julian House for the urban and rural lots. 

The funding for this service comes from contributions from all partners including all six Gloucestershire District councils; the County Council; Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner; and the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group.

As part of this, it is proposed that CBC will commit £44,032.76 for year 1, £44,913.41 for year 2 and £45,811.68 for year 3 of the contract, as set out in the above table. Further contributions would be required from CBC for years 4, 5 and 6, if extended, which would be financed from a combination of General Fund and Homelessness Prevention Grant Funding, as at present and finance permitting.

None considered.  Due to the limitations of existing government funding and resources, it was necessary to work as a county partnership to deliver best value for money for the Council and Gloucestershire. 

A tender process has been completed according to procurement regulations and Julian House has been identified as the preferred bidder for the urban and rural lots following evaluation and moderation.

Officers have consulted with Councillor Flo Clucas – Cabinet Member for Housing along with officers within the county-wide partnership. All are supportive of the council’s decision to enter into a new Gloucestershire county wide contract with Julian House for the delivery of the “Rough Sleeper Outreach and Support Service” (RSOSS) for an initial period of three years, commencing on 1 April 2025. Consultation was also carried out with CBC’s Housing Options Team who will work closely with Julian House in helping to tackle rough sleeping.

The service specification was also prepared by a range of partners including a representative from CBC and was scrutinised and endorsed by the countywide Partnership’s Oversight group, which includes representation from all Partner organisations.

A supplier workshop was also held in July 2024 to enable potential suppliers to understand the requirement and provide feedback on the tender and service design and consultation has also been undertaken with finance regarding the additional funding required.

Consultation with the voluntary and faith groups as well as statutory providers including housing providers was also discussed at regular Housing & Support Forum meetings where any concerns/ views regarding the re-commissioning of the service was able to be discussed.

Finance Approval

Funding is in place.  £22k in base budget under HOM001 R6280 GRA026, rest will be grant-funded.