Decision details

Summary of Decision

That the Cabinet Member for Housing approves direct awards for the following:

·         Award of a contract for the provision of accommodation at Queen Mary & Chapter Street for women with complex mental health needs, to The Riverside Group Limited (company number IP030938)from 1^st January 2022 to 31^st December 2024 for the contract value of £2,036,565.08.

·         Award of a contract for the provision of hostel accommodation at Edward Alsop Court for men with complex needs requiring 24/7 support to Look Ahead Care and Support Limited(company number IP21004R) from 1^st April 2021 to 31^st March 2026 for the contract value of £3,416,304.

·         Award of a contract for the provision of hostel accommodation at King George’s hostel for men with complex needs requiring 24/7 support, to Single Homeless Project (The) (company registration number 01741926) from 1^st April 2023 to 31^st March 2026 for the contract value of £2,198,172.

·         Award of a contract for the provision of the move on and resettlement service, to St Mungo Community Housing Association (Company number: 8225808 Charity number – 1149085) from 1^st October 2021 to 31^st March 2026 for the contract value of £3,237,156.

·         Award of a contract for the provision of women’s safe space service, to St Mungo Community Housing Association (Company number: 8225808 Charity number – 1149085) from 1^st October 2021 to 31^st March 2025 for the contract value of £2,292,175.

·         Award of a contract for the provision of assessment and reconnection services at Harrow Road, to St Mungo Community Housing Association (Company number: 8225808 Charity number – 1149085) from 1^st April 2020 to 31st March 2026 for the contract value of £4,277,437.

·         Award of a contract for the provision of an assessment centre at Passage House, to Passage 2000 (Company number 03885593, Charity number –1079764)  from 1^st April 2020 to 31^st March 2026 for the contract value of £4,630,089.

·         Award of a contract for Housing First provision, to St Mungo Community Housing Association (Company number: 8225808 Charity number – 1149085)from 1^st April 2022 to 31^st March 2026 for the contract value of £2,404,554.

·       Award of a contract for accommodation at Dean Court and London Hotel, from AA Accommodation Services Limited (trading variously as Primus Properties, Dean Court Hotel and The London Hotel) (company number 11688672) from 1^st September 2022 (the service at London Hotel to commence on 1^st September 2023) to 31^st March 2025 for the contract value of £2,439,391 (inclusive of VAT as VAT is applicable to these services).

·         Award of a contract for accommodation at St Giles Hotel, from St Giles Hotel Ltd (company number 02954321)from 1^st April 2022 to 31^st March 2025 for the contract value of £4,562,056 (inclusive of VAT as VAT is applicable to these services).

·         Award of a contract for security and concierge services from Critico Security (LDN) Ltd (company registration number 11842015) from 1^st April 2022 to 31^st March 2025 for the contract value of £1,667,194.

·         Award of a contract for complex needs to Church Army (company registration number 00037169) from 1 April 2018 to 31^st March 2025 for the contract value of £1,810,000. 

Reasons for decision

The recommendations are to directly award contracts until March 2025, with a number of accommodation-based services operating to March 2026, with the option to terminate on six months’ notice (3 months’ notice for harrow road) ending no earlier than 31 March 2025. These contract awards are to ensure all services currently delivered under implied terms, are regularised with a signed contract in place. This is to ensure transparency and contractual agreement on the delivery of the service specification, payment terms and terms and conditions of service.

The recommended contract duration aligns to the current 3-year rough sleeping initiative (RSI) grant funded settlement from the department of levelling up, housing and communities (DLUHC) and crucially allows time for the development of a commissioning plan. This plan will be co-designed with the voluntary and community sector and users by experience, informed by the Westminster Housing Commission’s recommendations and linked to the homelessness and rough sleeping strategy and will set the future commissioning intentions, models of delivery and opportunities for partnership working. The commissioning plan will inform a programme of retendering during 2024, with new service provision commencing from April 2025 onwards.

Accommodation based services having contracts in place until 31 March 26 with a break clause at 31 March 25, will allow for a rolling programme of retendering. It allows for accommodation based services to have a co-terminus end date to enable recommissioning and also recognises the need to have longer mobilisation periods for accommodation-based services. An asset review will be undertaken to look at the different types of accommodation based supported accommodation in the borough and how this can be recommissioned going forward. It is not feasible to in-source these services for the period remaining before the council goes out to tender.

Continuity of service provision during this period of commissioning design, engagement and then retendering is vital for this vulnerable cohort of service users, without which they may experience homelessness and increased vulnerability.