Memorandum from Bournemouth Borough Council (SPP 22)

 

1. Background to the Supporting People programme in Bournemouth; a south coast town with a wide range of historic and geographic challenges with well developed services, particularly for the socially excluded

 

2. Partnerships with the third sector accounting for 55% of the current budget

 

3. Improvement in services attributable to the Supporting People programme

 

4. Non-ringfencing the grant; the risks and opportunities and the need to put in place strong governance and joint commissioning arrangements

 

5. Reductions in funding and pressures on the programme from refocusing priorities away from Supporting People as a result of the general pressure on budgets

 

6. Efficient delivery of the programme through strategic commissioning, appropriate monitoring of services and greater community involvement

 

7. Community involvement through the two Supporting People national indicators and the contribution of the programme to a number of other national indicators

 

 

1.0 Background

 

1.1 Bournemouth has an extensive range of housing related support services that provide a continuum of support across the various client groups and specifically for the socially excluded.

 

1.2 The unit costs of services in Bournemouth in 2003/04 were twice the national average, as historically Bournemouth has attracted a large number of services, including supported accommodation for people with mental illness set up when the long stay mental health institutions in Dorset closed, dry houses for people with drug problems associated with the large number of treatment centres in Bournemouth and offender accommodation, which in part is related to the drug scene. Geographically services in the eastern half of the county were set up in Bournemouth.

 

1.3 Bournemouth is a south coast town with a significant nighttime culture, which attracts the young and single homeless. Rough sleeping remains a challenge, but from a high count of 44 in 1997 the number has reduced to 6 at the last count. The 'Nightshelter' funded by Supporting People and Street Services, an assertive outreach team, which is partially funded by Supporting People, has aided the reduction in street lifestyles.

1.4 The Supporting People programme has significantly improved the well being of vulnerable people in Bournemouth and assisted their pathway towards independent living through floating support and a targeted move-on strategy including the use of rent deposit.

 

 

2.0 Partnerships with the third sector

 

2.1 Third sector organisations (Registered Social Landlords, Voluntary not for Profit Organisations and Charitable Organisations) account for 55% of the budget.

 

2.2 Through the programme we have been able to foster small charitable organisations that have a particular specialisation, such as Bournemouth Society for the Visually Impaired and Body Positive Dorset, which caters for people with HIV/AIDs. This is an important aspect of our commissioning strategy and something that we would wish to strengthen through the Third Sector Strategic Development Partnership.

 

 

3.0 Service improvement

 

3.1 The Quality Assessment Framework has been used to improve the quality of services, which were previously unregulated. The exception is housing associations, but even then the regulation related more to housing stock rather than the housing related support that they provide.

 

3.2 Pound for pound Supporting People services are able to demonstrate their cost effectiveness in terms of outcomes for clients and the significant benefits for local communities.

 

3.3 The number of people moving on from supported accommodation in a planned way has significantly improved demonstrating that vulnerable people are sustaining and becoming more independent.

 

 

4.0 Non-ring fencing and delivering in the new local government landscape

 

4.1 The non-ringfencing of the funding is an opportunity as well as a risk. Non-ringfencing enabled us to set up a Prison Liaison and Transport service to ensure that prisoners on release reach the accommodation sourced for them.

 

4.2 The non-ringfencing will enable us to provide a more holistic approach to promote independent living by encompassing training, education and employment opportunities.

 

4.3 It has enabled us to increase the level of service user participation an essential step to develop services that are person centred, meet the requirements of the various client groups and keep clients at the heart of the programme.

 

4.4 To ensure the continued success of the programme we believe that there is still a requirement for a Commissioning Body or Joint Commissioning Group to strategically steer the programme and develop partnering and joint working. The latter is essential to achieve the goals set by the programme and to make the most effective and efficient use of resources in the community.

 

4.5 A major risk to the programme could arise if Supporting People services are seen as lower priority and as a consequence Area Based Grant is diverted to other services. This is compounded in Bournemouth as the Supporting People programme grant represents 55% of the Area Based Grant. Strengthening the joint commissioning arrangements and greater alignment with the Local Strategic Partnership and inclusion in the Local Area Agreement will reduce this risk.

 

 

5.0 Reduction in funding and the pressures on the programme

 

5.1 Reduction in funding is a serious local concern. Bournemouth suffers the maximum year on year 5% reduction in funding, which will seriously affect services in relation to homeless, drug treatment and offending behaviour. Bournemouth has in the past been seen as a provider of services for the sub region for the socially excluded, but the Distribution Formula fails to take this and the historic development of services in Bournemouth into account.

 

5.2 The reduction in funding will seriously impact on the services, which have been developed over many years and is more likely to negatively affect the programme than the non-ringfencing of the grant.

 

5.3 The provision of housing related support is not a statutory requirement, but is linked to Agreements with service providers. The non-ringfencing and pressures on other spending departments in the Council could mean that funding for housing related support services ceases, but this can be lessened by demonstrating the benefits of the programme, particularly in terms of prevention and reduction in homelessness.

 

5.4 There are pressures to break up Supporting People teams, but as a consequence there is a danger that Supporting People will lose its identity and the focus of the programme to promote independent living for vulnerable people and prevent homelessness will be reduced.

 

 

6.0 Efficiency and Bureaucracy

 

6.1 The efficiency of delivery of services has improved through the strategic commissioning arrangements and the partnership working between the Council, Health and Probation. Increased partnering and joint working in conjunction with Housing and homelessness and Social Care will further improve efficiencies.

 

6.2 Service Providers complain of the bureaucracy, but this is balanced by the need to monitor services to ensure their appropriate delivery and to measure the trends and outcomes for clients. A degree of form filling will be required to justify the level of spend, but is reducing over time as Service Providers fully embrace the programme.

 

7.0 Community involvement

 

7.1 Two for the National Indicators are specific to Supporting People:

 

· NI 141: Percentage of vulnerable people achieving independent living

· NI 142: Percentage of vulnerable people who a\re supported to maintain independent living

 

Including these within the Local Area Agreement brings the programme into greater focus and directly involves the Local Strategic Partnership.

 

7.2 The Supporting People programme also contributes to a number of other National Indicators and again demonstrates a commitment and involvement in the new local government landscape and forms a fundamental part of the delivery.

 

May 2009