Purpose

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member
for Adults Social Care and Public Health seeking approval to award
two contracts

Decision

To authorise the award of the contracts for
Children’s Residential Respite and for Residential Respite
for Adults with Learning Disabilities (primary need) including
complex and/or more specialist needs to the highest scoring bidder
following a procurement under the Procurement Act 2023 as
identified in the exempt appendix.

Reasons for the decision

1. 
This report is submitted for consideration as a General Exception
under paragraph 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules in
Part 4 of the City Council’s Constitution, notice having been
given to the Chair of the relevant Scrutiny Panel and the
Public.
2. 
The Council’s intention to continue to commission residential
respite for children and residential respite for adults with LD and
complex health needs was referenced in the Adult Learning
Disability Residential Respite report approved by Cabinet on 29
April 2025 (paragraphs 10, 19), although it was not sufficiently
included in the recommendations to permit a contract to be awarded
without Cabinet approval.  Hence the
need for this report. The reason for seeking urgency provisions is
because the existing contracts were due to end this year with new
contracts due to commence on 24 November 2025.  We wish to award the contracts as soon as possible
to ensure continuity of provision and avoid prolonging the
uncertainty for providers and services users. 

Alternative options considered

None.  Local
Authorities have a statutory responsibility to provide services to
meet the short break and support needs of disabled children, young
people, adults and their families.  The
Care Act 2014 imposes statutory duties on Local Authorities when
exercising Adult Social Care functions. This includes the duty to
promote the individual's wellbeing and that of their carers. In addition the duty to prevent or delay
the development of needs is paramount and a key objective of Adult
Social Care. The function of short breaks is to facilitate
individuals and carers to continue that relationship, in a
supported way. In providing respite, Adult Social Care have a
mechanism to avoid crisis and reduce more expensive care and
support which may not achieve the same positive outcomes for the
individual and carer. The outcome of the strategic review of short
breaks was that the Council would continue to commission
residential respite for children and residential respite for adults
with learning disabilities (LD) including complex/more specialist
needs from an external provider.  The
existing contract for these services is ending and there was
therefore a need to reprocure these services.