This meeting considered a single report, from Sue Boon the Director of Integrated Commissioning at Adult Services, about whether to renew funding for the Citizens Advice Waltham Forest service, which provides information, advice and guidance to residents.

Recommissioning of Specialist Information and Advice Services (Public reports pack 26th-Feb-2025 11.00 Executive Decision)

The report by Sue Boon included for discussion a proposal to directly award Citizens Advice Waltham Forest a new contract to deliver Information, Advice and Guidance to residents from 1 April 2025, for three years with the option to extend for a further two.

It was scheduled to be discussed that the new contract would be worth £393,975 per year, representing a 10% cut to the previous contract. The report suggested that 10% of the contract value in year one, and 20% from year two should be allocated to sub-contracts with other Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to provide targeted support in the community.

It was scheduled to be discussed that an Oversight Board made up of Councillors, Council Officers, and representatives of Citizens Advice Waltham Forest and other Voluntary and Community Sector organisations including Healthwatch Waltham Forest should be set up to monitor the contract.

The proposed model is anticipated to maximise resident income, reduce debt levels, and decrease residents' dependence on other services provided by the local authority. Within the new contract, better monitoring will be put in place to measure the financial benefit of IAG to the council and to residents.

— Recommissioning of Specialist Information and Advice Services - ED report, page 11.

The report argued that Citizens Advice Waltham Forest were best placed to continue delivering the service as they were the only organisation with the capacity to do so. It stated that they have a good understanding of the borough.

The report explained that three levels of support were scheduled to be discussed:

• Universal support - covering signposting and referrals, delivered by staff and volunteers at Community Front Doors and Welcome Hubs.
• Specialist Support - provided by Citizens Advice Waltham Forest, covering issues like debt, housing and welfare.
• Targeted Support - focusing on specific groups in the community and provided by smaller Voluntary and Community Sector organisations.

The report described the key drivers of the proposed new model as:

• Accessible Support in Community Spaces
• Improved collaboration between the Council and the Voluntary and Community Sector.
• Data Driven Decisions.

It suggested that these changes were needed to create consistency, reduce fragmentation and ensure people are getting the support they need, it in the right form, in the right place, at the right time.