The meeting report pack for the Executive Decision meeting schedules the recommissioning of Waltham Forest Council's 'information, advice and guidance' services, provided by Citizens Advice Waltham Forest (CAWF). The report pack proposes awarding the contract to CAWF, with a reduced budget and changes to the service model.

Recommissioning of Specialist Information and Advice Services

The report pack proposes changes to the way that Waltham Forest Council commissions Information, Advice and Guidance services in the borough. It describes the existing arrangements, in which services are commissioned by different parts of the council and largely delivered by CAWF. It notes that:

Often, IAG provision from the Council or commissioned services are either specialist or targeted.

The report pack goes on to describe the proposed new service model. It says that:

The proposed operating model will offer three levels of tiered support: universal, specialist, and targeted, so that all residents are able to access the appropriate level of support tailored to their needs.

The report pack says that a new oversight board will be formed to oversee the new arrangements, and it details the proposed membership of the board:

Representation on the Board will consist of Citizens Advice Waltham Forest, resident representation, council services, and Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations such a Healthwatch¹. It also says that the total value of the new contract will be £393,975 per year.

Finally, the report pack considers several other options that were considered for the future of the service, including taking no action, and seeking tenders from a wider range of providers. The report pack concludes by explaining why the option of awarding the contract to CAWF was chosen.