Issue - meetings

To consider entering into a joint working agreement with Worcestershire Telecare, in order to submit a joint tender for Supporting People Funding to provide Lifeline across Worcestershire.

(Report attached)

Officers reported that the County Council would shortly be retendering for Call Alarm provision through the Supporting People Programme. Under the new contract the County intended to contract with one Telecare provider that could deliver services across the whole of the County.

At the present time there were three providers within the County, Redditch Borough Council, Bromsgrove District Council and Worcestershire Telecare, hosted by Wyre Forest Community Housing Trust. It was proposed that a joint tender be submitted between Redditch Borough Council, which provided the service across Redditch and Bromsgrove, and Worcestershire Telecare. The major perceived risk identified by officers in pursuing this course of action was uncertainty over future levels of Supporting People funding.

Members were aware that the Lifeline service was a very popular and successful service provided to local residents and reassurances were sought that the Redditch monitoring station might be maintained.

RESOLVED that

1)         the Council, through its shared service with Redditch and Bromsgrove, should enter a joint working agreement with Worcestershire Telecare and an equipment provider partner if required in order to bid for a contract with Worcestershire County Council for the provision of Telecare Services across Worcestershire;

2)         if successful to enter into an agreement with Worcestershire Telecare and an equipment provider if required , one of which will take the lead role in the arrangement;

3)         authority to be delegated to the Acting Head of Community Services and to the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services to finalise the terms of the above agreement and enter into them; and

4)         authority be delegated to the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services to make any consequential changes to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers.