Purpose

To approve the recommissioning of Staying Healthy, Independent and Connected grant programme, from 1 April 2027

Decision

Approval has been given for the re-commissioning of Staying Healthy Independent and Connected (SHIC) grant programme for 3 years, with the option to extend by a further 2 years.

Reasons for the decision

Re-commissioning the SHIC grant programme will continue building the well-established baseline of community resilience, cohesion and connectiveness to support people to live independently and healthily in their communities. Delivered by well-established local organisations, a refined SHIC programme will enable trusted VCSE providers to refresh delivery models and partnerships to ultimately deliver improved outcomes for communities across the county. It will also provide crucial, multi-year funding to enable organisations to plan strategically for the long term and potentially leverage additional funding.

Alternative options considered

Alternative consideration was taken to cease funding or commission a like-for-like model, however it is recognised that SHIC is a crucial, trusted, community-based prevention service, and refinements are required to align with Adult Social Care needs and outcomes, taking the opportunity to refine and refocus the programme.