Decision details

Background
The contracted service with Making Space for the provision of day services currently within two Council owned buildings, (Sandalwood, Wheatley Hills and Moat Hills, Bentley) will expire on the 31 March 2020. A CPR Waiver is currently in place up to this expiry date.
Since commencement of the service on the 1st July 2013 contract monitoring audits have shown that the provider is fully compliant with the contract and there has been significant positive feedback from both attendees and families. The two centres, although not up to maximum capacity on all days, are currently operating at reasonable levels and have seen an increase in the use during the life of the contract. The overall attendance has increased from 56.2% in 2018 to 74% in 2019.
A Service Review was carried out in September 2019. The service was valued by those who attended.

Moving Forward.
Doncaster Council has embarked on a journey that responds to developing further personalisation and choice for individuals. The transformation of the Council’s In House Day Services has been based on the principle of personalised opportunities in localities, with less reliance on building based services. With the current Day Services contract coming to an end the Council has the opportunity to revisit the Service Specification and invite potential Providers to take a more creative, innovative approach to the delivery of Day Opportunities for people over the age of 65 years. This approach going forward aligns with the Place Plan.

To seek approval to award a contract(s) following a tendering exercise for a contract period of 2 years only for the provision of Day Opportunities.

The contract value is as follows:-
£143k for Lot 1 Sandal Wood Centre, Wheatley Hills for year 1 and £100k for year two £143k for Lot 2 Moathills Centre, Bentley for year 1 and £100k for year two.

Tenders can submit an application for one lot or both lots.

This ODR is in line with the following Adults Health and Wellbeing Commissioning 2018/19 Cabinet Report (27th March 2018) approved recommendations:

• Delegation of authority to agree and sign off commissioning recommendations, to the Director of People (subsequently amended to the Director of Adults Health & Wellbeing), or nominated deputy, as the work plan is progressed.
• Delegation of award of contracts to the Director of People (subsequently amended to the Director of Adults Health & Wellbeing) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.

Option1 Do nothing.
This is not an option as the CPR Waiver expires on the 31st March 2020 and the contract would then be in breach.

Option 2 Tender the service (Preferred option).
To revise the Service Specification and offer to the market the opportunity to tender for one or both buildings, or identify alternative premises to be used for a Day Opportunities offer for people over 65 years of age.
To put in place a two year contract(s) with the successful Contractor(s) with the intention that on the expiry of the contract the Day Opportunity Offer will be self-sustaining.

It is worthy of note the provision of day opportunities is not a statutory requirement. Whilst the Council recognises the importance of day opportunities to enable people to remain living independently in the community for as long as possible, the position the Council wishes to move to is one where the provision in the community is self-sustaining and varied enough to offer people person-centred Day Opportunities that do not require commissioning.