URL: https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1533

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Social Care and Healthier Communities

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: To ensure continuity of care and maintain lawful financial control, the Cabinet Member is being asked to take a decision under Special Urgency procedures (procedure rule 5.48 of Part 4, Section 5 of the Council’s Constitution, Cabinet Procedure Rules).

Content: To ensure continuity of care and maintain lawful financial control, the Cabinet Member is being asked to take a decision under Special Urgency procedures (procedure rule 5.48 of Part 4, Section 5 of the Council’s Constitution, Cabinet Procedure Rules). The Cabinet Member for Social Care & Healthier Communities agrees to:- 1.         Authorise the Executive Director for Adults and Communities to terminate, if he deems it necessary, the existing contract for the Direct Payments Support Service, because the provider can no longer give assurance about safe and continuous service delivery.   2.         Approve the immediate appointment of temporary specialist provider(s) to deliver both the payroll and managed account functions for all Direct Payment users, and delegates authority to the Executive Director for Adults and Communities to procure as necessary and award any contracts to facilitate such appointments.   3.         Approves the transfer of the advice and support function to Southend Care Ltd.   4.         Agree that the Council moves to a gross payment model, with the Council’s Finance Team collecting client contributions directly from the date the emergency arrangements start.   5.         Approves the implementation of the permanent April 2026 model which includes the award of the Direct Payments contract to Southend Care Limited providing one unified system for payroll and managed accounts and a single support function.   6.         Agrees that the Executive Director of Adults and Communities will oversee implementation of the emergency and moving to permanent arrangements, working with the Director of Commissioning, the Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer, and in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adults and communities.   The decision cannot reasonably be deferred because the continuity of the Direct Payments Support Service is at imminent risk and the result would be the council is unable to comply with its statutory duties.  

Date of Decision: November 12, 2025