Decision details

1.    To give notice at the appropriate time to end the council’s contractual arrangement with Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre over the provision of an assertive outreach service for rough sleepers.

2.    To agree to the council jointly commissioning a county-wide assertive outreach service to tackle rough sleeping.

Since April 2015 the six district authorities within Gloucestershire have committed to the use of one-off funding from the Department of Communities and Local Government (and held by Cotswold District Council on behalf of the other districts) to jointly commission across the county an Assertive Outreach Service, the main purpose of which is to tackle rough sleeping.

This one-off funding is now due to run out. However, all six districts see the value in the continuation of a county-wide Assertive Outreach Service, and it is therefore proposed that districts will directly fund the joint commissioning of this service out of their own budgets. Gloucestershire’s Clinical Commissioning Group and the Police and Crime Commissioner are also looking to commit to jointly funding this service.   

It is proposed that Cheltenham Borough Council will commit £15,000/year over the next two years, with a review built in during this time to consider whether to continue to jointly commission this service thereafter. The service will be financed from the council’s existing budget for tackling rough sleeping. This budget is currently being used to finance a local assertive outreach service, which is being delivered by Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre.  

Once this decision is taken, work will begin on the tendering of a new county-wide assertive outreach service. This will be led by Cotswold District Council and supported by officers from other district authorities, including Cheltenham Borough Council. As soon as the tender process is complete, the decision to enter into a contract with the successful provider, along with a detailed breakdown of actual costs, will be subject to the council’s usual approval requirements.

The council will seek to ensure there is a seamless delivery of services, as service provision transfers from one provider to another. It is estimated that this will be completed in December 2016/January 2017.

Given the financial resources available, the council has to make a decision between funding Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre or entering into joint commissioning arrangements on a county-wide basis for the delivery of similar services. For the reasons detailed in Section 2.6 of the accompanying report, it is proposed that the council supports the county-wide commissioning of an Assertive Outreach Service.