Agenda item

The Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services.

The Executive was asked to approve the procurement by re-tender of the Home Improvement Agency and Handy Person Services (HIA and HPS) contract and to approve the award of the contract by the Head of Neighbourhood Services in consultation with the Strategic Head of Legal & Governance and Chief Finance Officer, in accordance with the outcome of the procurement process. The current contract was due to expire in January 2024 at the end of the full five-year-term. The service had been outsourced for many years and was worth at least £0.600 million over five years. Since 2018, the services had been delivered by Millbrook Healthcare Limited on behalf of the Council as well as Mole Valley and Tandridge District Councils, operating under three separate contracts following a joint procurement.

The Leader, Councillor Brunt, said that the Disabled Facility Grant scheme, which is one of the core elements provided by the HIA contract, was funded by the government and enabled those in need of support to maintain their independence in their own home by providing adaptations to improve their quality of life, health and wellbeing. Services were primarily used to assist older or disabled people or people on low incomes with additional needs and support them to live at home independently for as long as possible. He encouraged Members to promote awareness of the service and make sure residents knew about the benefits of this scheme.

Executive Members noted that it was a positive scheme and enabled elderly and disabled people to be able to stay in own homes as a result of these services and continue to live independent lives.

The Home Improvement Agency and Handy Person Services had been outsourced for over ten years. Visiting Members asked about:

·        Improving the environmental sustainability in the quality of building stock.

·        How feedback from residents was taken on board

·        Support for subsequent ongoing or future maintenance (such as for stairlifts) not just the installation.

Officers confirmed that the procurement exercise and retender would give the Council an opportunity to review the terms of reference and service specifications and learn any lessons from the last five years to improve services. This included making any changes to the environmental sustainability aspects in the contract within the limitations of the scheme. The scheme was governed by the Council’s Housing Assistance Policy which was brought to Executive in 2022. This had included a change of policy so ongoing issues of maintenance were covered. This included a standard five-year warranty in the lifts grants package.

·        Members asked how the Housing Assistance Policy was aligned with the two neighbouring borough councils. Officers confirmed that the three Councils aimed to be broadly consistent with each other and any differences were mainly budget driven.

·        Funding sources – Members asked for a breakdown of the costs and funding sources. The majority of the contract was funded from an annual block fee, as well as from technical fees charged on completed Disabled Facilities Grants, funded from the grant allocation. It was expected that the new contract price would increase broadly in line with inflation. Further information could be provided to Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – that the Executive:

(i)               Approves the procurement by retender of Home Improvement Agency and Handy Person Services;

(ii)             Approves the award of the contract by the Head of Neighbourhood Services in consultation with the Strategic Head of Legal & Governance and Chief Finance Officer, in accordance with the outcome of the procurement process.