Decision

To approve Wiltshire Council entering into a Deed of Variation with Turning Point (Services) Limited in relation to the Substance Misuse Services Agreement to allocate the following sources of funding received from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Public Health Grant:

1)    The sum of £1,647,101 in 2026/27 for the continued provision of enhanced drug and alcohol services; and

2)      A maximum sum of up to £1,890,111 in 2027/28.

Reasons for the decision

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has confirmed three (3) years of Public Health Grant?protected drug and alcohol funding (which will be allocated annually between 2026 and 2029). For Wiltshire, the confirmed allocation for 2026/27 is £4,459,268, with indicative allocations of £4,708,564 for 2027/28 and £4,982,360 for 2028/29.

A portion of this funding will be awarded to the incumbent provider (Turning Point) for the next two financial years via a Deed of Variation to the existing Substance Misuse Services Agreement (HC1567). This will equate to an additional sum of £1,647,101 in 2026/27 and a maximum additional sum of £1,890,111 in 2027/28. This was approved at the Exemption Panel on 3 March 2026 (exemption number 1436).

Additional funding is only being allocation at this stage for 2026/27 and 2027/28, as no decision has yet been made regarding a potential extension of the Services Agreement with Turning Point. If the Services Agreement is extended, a further variation may be sought to allocate additional funding to the same.

Cabinet delegated the following:

1. I confirm that in making this decision I have considered the following in line with Wiltshire Council’s Constitution:

Key decision requirements

Yes – Cabinet Meeting held on 6 May 2026

Views of relevant Cabinet member(s), Committee Chairman, Area board(s)

Yes – Cllr Clare Cape

Consultation with cabinet member(s), the Leader and Scrutiny (for Executive decisions taken under Emergency Powers)

Yes – Cllr Claire Cape

Consultation in accordance with the council’s consultation guidance and the views emanating from that process

Yes

Implication of any council policy, initiative, strategy or procedure

Yes

Staffing, financial and legal implications

Yes

The assessment of any associated risks in accordance with the Council’s risk management strategy;

N/A

Involvement of appropriate statutory officers and/or corporate directors and directors (Specify)

Yes – Lizzie Watkin and Kate Blackburn

Regional or national guidance from other bodies where relevant

Yes

The council’s constitution, including the Procurement and Contract Rules (Part 10) and the Financial Regulations and Procedure Rules (Part 9), all relevant guidance, legislation, codes of practice, and protocols

Yes

Alternative options considered

We explored other options in order to use this funding, including awarding the funding to another provider. However, this would require a full tender process to be undertaken which would be resource intensive for Wiltshire Council. The existing provider of Substance Use Services in Wiltshire has been providing the enhanced drug and alcohol services since the contract commencement date of 1 April 2023 and have staff in post to continue these provisions under the new funding arrangements and therefore are best placed to deliver these services.