The Assistant Director Housing Services has decided to award the contract for Direct Contract Award – Supported Lodgings for 16-17 Year Olds by way of a direct award for a 12 month term with a contract value of £194,454.52.

The Council has a duty to assess and accommodate if there is reason to believe an individual is homeless, eligible for assistance and in priority need. Those in priority need include young people aged 16-17, those leaving care and any young person with significant health issues that means they are vulnerable. Across all departments there is a wider corporate parenting responsibility owed to children under the age of 18.
Statutory guidance states that any accommodation provided must be suitable for the young person’s needs. It further states that B&B type accommodation, which is considered appropriate for adults, is not suitable accommodation for 16- & 17-year-olds and that any temporary accommodation provided to this group, must make available appropriate on-site support.
In this regard, availability of an appropriate supported housing service is critical in ensuring the accommodation and support needs of homeless 16- and 17-year-olds can be responded to and addressed; and to meet the Council’s statutory obligations.
Following a competitive procurement exercise undertaken in 2019, Local Solutions are, currently, the commissioned provider of a supported lodgings scheme for homeless 16- & 17-year-olds. The current contract is due to expire on the 31st July 2024.
The supported lodgings service delivered by Local Solutions provides accommodation and support for up to 24 homeless 16- & 17-year-olds
The direct award of a further 12-month contract to Local Solutions.
•Ensure that the Council can continue to comply with its obligations under Part VII of the Housing Act, 1996.
•Allow for the completion of a strategic review of the provision of supported housing for young people, that will make recommendations regarding the future delivery of these services.
•Allow for the undertaking of both appropriate market testing and a competitive procurement exercise, informed by the strategic review mentioned above.
The new contract will commence from 1st August 2024, and will end on the 31st July 2025. The value of this contract is £194,454.52.

The alternatives to directly awarding a 12-month contract to Local Solutions are:
1.Allow the current contract to naturally expire and not recommission. This is discounted as this would leave the council without a key contributing resource to meet its obligations under Housing Law.
2.Begin a competitive procurement exercise immediately without completing a soft-market test or concluding the Strategic Review of Supported Housing for Young People. This is discounted as the conclusion of the Review will ensure that all future commissioning activity is strategically relevant and based on a robust assessment of future need.