COUNCIL chiefs are set to approve a new contract to support people at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping.

A report on the tender for the provision of the vital services will come before the cabinet during its meeting on Monday, April 12.

It will advise of the outcome of the tender evaluation exercise and the proposed award of a contract for the delivery of services to individuals, families or young people at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping.

Warrington Borough Council currently commissions support for individuals, families or young people who are at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping.

Homelessness service contracts and funding associated with the tender are currently delivered by The Salvation Army, with the provision of accommodation and support for single homeless adults at James Lee House, Your Housing Group, with the provision of accommodation and support for young people at risk of homelessness at Verve Place and Your Housing Group, with the provision of floating support for vulnerable adults – the Vulnerable Tenants Support Service (VTSS).

The report says the tender ‘included a single lot, for the delivery of all homelessness support and accommodation services’ and included funding for the three current services including James Lee House, Verve Place and VTSS.

The tender specified that a single provider, prime provider or consortium of organisations would be required to deliver the services detailed in the specification and within the identified allocated maximum funding.

In her report, Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, cabinet member for housing, public health and wellbeing, says the annual budget commitment for the council of the recommended contract award is ‘not expected to place any additional overall pressure’ on the council’s budget for the provision of services to prevent homelessness or rough sleeping in 2021-22.

Details on the budget and costs associated with the recommendation to award the contract will be discussed in Part 2 of the meeting in private.

The cabinet is recommended to approve the award of a contract for the provision of support services and supported housing to the winning bidder at a contract value as detailed in the Part 2 report.

Members are recommended to approve for the contract to be awarded for five years with the option to extend for two periods of one year, up to seven years in total, running from July 2021 to June 2026, with the option to extend to June 2028.

The reasons highlighted are to ensure the robust, effective and co‐ordinated delivery of services to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping, as well as to ensure the continued provision of supported housing for individuals and young people at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping.