Purpose

This report seeks authority to enter into a
grant agreement with the Office for Health Improvement and
Disparities (OHID) and to enter into a funding transfer agreement
with the Probation Service North West to invest in improving and
enhancing the local drug and alcohol treatment and recovery
system.

Decision

For the reasons set out in this report, the
Corporate Director has decided to
1)   
Enter into a grant agreement, to take effect from 1st April 2025
for 12 months (2025/26) with the Office for Health Improvement
and Disparities (OHID) to accept and administer the Drug and
Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant (DATRIG) to the total sum of
£8,830,797.
2)   
Enter into a grant agreement, to take effect from 1st
April 2025 for 12 months (2025/26) with the Office for Health
Improvement and Disparities (OHID) to accept and administer the
2025/26 Individual Placement & Support (IPS) grant, to the total sum of
£265,783.
3)   
Enter into a funding transfer agreement, to take effect from
1st April 2025 for a period of 23 months with Probation
Service North West to accept and administer the 2025/26-27
Probation North West Dependency and Recovery funds, to the total
sum of £516,767.
4)   
Remain part of the Cheshire and Merseyside inpatient detoxification
(IPD) sub-regional consortia in relation to administering the IPD
element of the Liverpool DATRIG grant, to the value of
£195,409, including entering into an agreement with the host
local authority (Wirral) as the Cheshire and Merseyside consortia
lead, to take effect from 1st April 2025 for 12 months
(2025/26).

Alternative options considered

3.1Do nothing: Failure to accept
the grants would lead to a lost opportunity for eligible grant
(revenue resources) to enhance partnership working, transform the
quality of local treatment and recovery services, and improve
treatment outcomes for people who use(d) drugs and / or alcohol.
This option has therefore been rejected.