Decision details

The current contract ends on the 31st of March 2024. However, because of multiple grant additions that go beyond this end date an extension is required to ensure that the additional funding is fully evaluated.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to approve the following:

A contract modification for a 2-year contract extension to the Change Grow Live (CGL) Aspire Integrated Drug and Alcohol Treatment Service for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2026.

·       To provide stability in the current services to increase the numbers in treatment, improve the quality of services and provide stability in staffing in line with the expectations of the additional grant finding which was allocated to support delivery of the National Drugs Strategy

·       To provide sufficient time and stability to deliver and evaluate the services established though the grants and ensure that the expectations and Terms and Conditions of the grants are met.

·       It was likely that the Rough Sleeper and potentially the other grants would be extended into 2025/26 adding further to the complexity of delivering new models. A longer period without substantial changes enabled them to become embedded and established.

·       The Provider Selection Regime (PSR) would come into force during any re-commission undertaken in 2023/24. Its adoption would allow the complexities of health service contracts to be addressed.

·       The option to jointly commission with Cambridgeshire County Council from the 1 April 2026 would enable pooling of resources and take a more collaborative approach across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough especially in relation to organisations that work across the two local authorities.

·       The current provider was performing to high standard and had worked hard to implement the new grant requirements despite huge challenges with workforce recruitment.

Procurement and New Service commencing April 2024 - The option of undertaking a competitive procurement for Adult and Children and Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Treatment Service in Peterborough during 2023/24 with only with a new contract commencement of 1 April 2024 was explored and dismissed due to service disruption and non-delivery of the grants’ expected outcomes, and procurement and financial risks.

Direct award for a two-year period - To direct award to the supplier following contract expiry of these services would be a breach of the Council’s Contract Rules and Public Contracts Regulations 2015, therefore this option was not considered further.

None.

None.