Purpose

The Learning Disabilities Floating and Community Support Service
commenced on 1st July 2019 and is due to expire on 30th June 2024
with all available extension options having been utilised. The
contract is currently delivered as a locality model across two Lots
with two separate providers: Centre404 (C404) lead in Camden North
(Lot 1) currently supporting 62 residents, and Camden Society
London (TCS(L)) lead in Camden South (Lot 2) currently supporting
34 residents. The annual contract value of the two Lots together is
£1,161,643.
 
Floating support enables people to remain living independently
in their own home and is available to people (adults) with a
learning disability (PWLD) who have eligible needs under the Care
Act 2014. The model takes a strength-based approach which is in
line with the commitments in the ‘Supporting People,
Connecting Communities’ strategy and ‘We Make
Camden’. The service aims to promote the inclusion and
independence of PWLD in Camden and prevent, reduce and delay the
need for long term social care services.
On 27th September 2023 TCS(L) formally notified
officers they would cease trading within four months, due the wider
financial position of the organisation across London. By
implication this means they are not able to continue delivering LD
floating support services in the South of Camden through to the end
of the contract on 30th June 2024.
 
Officers explored a range of options to prevent provider
failure, to enable the Council to continue meeting its Care Act
duty to provide support and to minimise disruption for residents.
Having evaluated the options, it is recommended to vary
C404’s contract to include delivery of care for residents in
the South of the borough, as this would ensure service continuity,
minimise disruption for PWLD and offer best value.
 
C404 will be incurring additional costs by taking on the South
locality contract, and therefore to make the service financially
sustainable it is recommended the Council increase C404’s
hourly rate from £20.74 to £22.16 for the whole service
from 1st February 2024 to 30th June 2024.
 
The contract variation value, including the increase in
C404’s rates and the addition of care package from the South
locality to C404’s contract, is estimated to be
£210,279 for the five-month period from 1st February 2024 to
30th June 2024. Once the early termination of
TCS(L)’s contract for the South locality is
taken into account, the net cost pressure to the Council of the
recommended option is estimated to range from £29,227 for 75%
of commissioned care being delivered to £38,970 for 100%
delivery.
 
In order to give the expanded C404 service time to embed, and to
ensure affected PWLD do not experience two changes of provider in
quick succession, it is recommended to delay the planned
recommissioning of the service which was originally due to take
place in Winter 2023. Officers will therefore present
a further report in early 2024 seeking approval to award an
additional 9-month contract to C404 from 1st July 2024 to 31st
March 2025 to allow the recommissioning process to be completed.
Officers will work with procurement, legal, finance and C404 to
ensure this proposal offers value for money, maximises the benefits
of the current offer and includes some additional KPIs to address
loneliness and the health inequalities disproportionately impacting
PWLD (as part of a test and learn).
 
Under Contract Standing Order E2.1, a Chief Officer can approve
a variation that are not provided for in the terms of the contract,
such as these, however it requires a waiver for it to be
implemented. This report is being presented to the Executive
Director, Adults and Health and the Executive Director Corporate
Services in accordance with Contract Standing Orders.
 
 

Content

THAT the Executive Director, Adults and Health, as the relevant
Chief Officer:
1.      
approves the termination of the Learning Disabilities
Floating and Community Support South contract with The Camden
Society (London) on 31st January 2024, following their decision to
cease trading, and to allow the transfer of care packages to
Centre404.
2.      
approves the variation to the Learning Disabilities
Floating and Community Support North contract with Centre404 from
1st February 2024 to 30th June 2024 for them to deliver services in
the South of the borough, thereby ensuring continuity of care to
service users, for an estimated value of £210,279.
3.      
approves the variation to Centre404’s hourly
rate from £20.74 to £22.16 from 1st February 2024 to
30th June 2024 to reflect the genuine increases in costs incurred
as a result of the transfer of service users and staff from The
Camden Society (London).
4.       approves the
variation to Condition 9 of the contract to allow for a further
modification of the hourly rate to reflect any change from the fee
review process in 2024 which will evaluate the impact of the London
Living Wage rate increasing to £13.15, the assessment of the
continued financial viability and sustainability of the contract,
and progress on the planned restructuring of the service to be
undertaken by Centre404.
5.      
grants a waiver to vary Centre404’s contract as
set out in Recommendations 2, 3 and 4, as they are not permissible
under the current terms, subject to the approval of the Executive
Director Corporate Services as required under CSO E2.2 and in line
with CSO F3.2.
 
THAT the Executive Director Corporate Services approves the
waiver to vary the contract with Centre404 further to
Recommendations 2, 3 and 4.