Purpose

To request authority to award a contract for access to Social Housing outside of Brent to help meet homelessness demand via a direct award, following the Cabinet Member waiving contract standing orders.

Decision

That the Director of Housing Needs and Support:

i)               Notes the Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters has granted an exemption from the requirement to tender for a Contract for Access to Social Housing outside of Brent to help meet homelessness demand.

ii)              Notes the Contract Standing Order 89 considerations.

iii)            Approves the direct award of the contract for Access to Social Housing outside of Brent, to help meet homelessness demand, for a period of nine (9) months, in the sum of £450,000, to Bridge Housing Solutions Limited.

Reasons for the decision

The Council requires the provision for access to Social Housing outside of Brent to help meet homelessness demand. The Council is experiencing significant and sustained pressures on emergency temporary accommodation, driven by high demand for housing assistance, increasing numbers of households requiring accommodation and the limited availability of affordable housing in Brent and across London. The pressures have resulted in increased reliance on temporary accommodation and significant financial and operational pressures for the Council.

The proposed service supports the Council’s strategic objective of preventing and reducing homelessness by providing sustainable housing options for homeless households who are unable to access or sustain market rented accommodation in London, including households for whom Local Housing Allowance rates are insufficient to meet prevailing private sector rents.

The service provides focused move-on support to households currently accommodated in emergency temporary accommodation, as well as households who are assessed as likely to be owed the main housing duty and who may otherwise require placement into emergency accommodation. By supporting households to secure suitable settled accommodation outside of Brent, the service contributes directly to reducing the Council’s use of temporary accommodation and, where the relevant statutory requirements are met, enables the Council to discharge its housing duty.

Alternative options considered

Officers considered whether the contract could be provided by the Council itself but concluded it is best provided by a contractor.

Officers have reviewed a range of procurement options but consider that a direct award to the named contractor is the most appropriate means of procuring a contractor.