Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, the Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration and the Director of Public Health submitted a report for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the report was to provide an update on the Changing Futures funding opportunity and to seek approval for a formal submission on a South Tees partnership basis with Middlesbrough Council as the lead organisation.

Following Middlesbrough’s award of approx. £4.5m funding for Project ADDER, the Government had announced £46m from the Shared Outcomes Fund for a new programme: Changing Futures - aimed at changing systems to support adults experiencing multiple disadvantage. It was being led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG).

The programme planned to work in partnership with up to 15 local areas to test innovative approaches and improve outcomes for people experiencing multiple disadvantage, including a combination of homelessness, substance misuse, mental health issues, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system.

The Expression of Interest (EoI) had been submitted on behalf Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland Councils, along with a variety of partner organisations across a South Tees partnership.

The South Tees (ST) EoI had been successful and ST had been able to claim a development grant of £15k to appoint a bid co-ordinator. The appointed lead was working with all organisations within the ST partnership and co-ordinating the development of a costed delivery plan to ensure the formal bid was submitted on time.

If successful, MHCLG guidance stated that it expected two year grants to total approx. £1.5m - £4.5m per area. However, MHCLG had just extended the length of the programme through until 31/3/24, thanks to a partnership with the National Lottery Fulfilling Lives fund. That planned to ensure additional funding for successful areas, which would be based on the proposed, costed delivery plan submitted. Delivery was expected to commence in June/July 2021.

If successful, ST would seek to apply the Middlesbrough Council corporate 8% management fee to the funding as the grant recipient. It was also within scope to recruit strategic lead capacity with the funding to oversee the programme.

OPTIONS

Retaining the status quo and not accepting the funding would deny Middlesbrough/South Tees the opportunity for significant investment and improvement in services for some of its most complex and vulnerable residents. Addressing those complex vulnerabilities and tackling the underlying social determinants of poor health in the group, including issues such as criminal justice, employment and positive relationships, provided the potential to transform local lives. The negative impact that those issues had on the wider community, and the area as a whole, could be significantly mitigated by investment at that scale.

ORDERED

a)    That a formal submission on a South Tees partnership basis, with Middlesbrough Council as the lead organisation, be approved;

b)    Subject to the bid’s success, that approval be granted to receive the grant funding on behalf of the South Tees partnership and distribute it amongst the partner organisations;

c)    If successful, that delegated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 135