To seek approval from Cabinet to provide an information and advice service to local residents with revised requirements via an associated specification and procurement process, with the new arrangements commencing on 1 October 2025.

To approve the allocation of £0.072m to Citizen’s Advice Tendring to continue to contribute to the existing information and advice guidance service through direct funding for the interim period up to 30 September 2025 in accordance with a subsidy scheme.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)     approves the provision of an information and advice service to local residents;

b)     agrees to the procurement of such services for a contract period of three years commencing 1 October 2025, and agrees to a modular procurement approach to determine what a provider could offer for various levels of potential funding e.g. £50,000, £100,000, or £150,000 per year;

c)      authorises the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive, to approve the specification for the provision of an information and advice service based on the broad principles set out within the report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.5);

d)     approves for an interim period of six months from 1 April 2025, the continuation of the existing agreement with CAT at a cost of £0.072m, supported by the existing budget for information and advice services to local residents;

e)     in respect of the contribution of £0.072m to CAT, agrees to extend the current Addressing Health Inequality – Advice, Support and Mental Health Support Subsidy Scheme for 2025/26;

f)       authorises the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships and the Monitoring Officer, to finalise the administrative requirements for the production of the Subsidy Scheme in accordance with the Subsidy Control Act 2023 and Statutory Guidance and to publish it on the Government website prior to any awards; and

g)     agrees to extend the current Service Level Agreement with Citizens Advice Tendring (CAT) from 1st April 2025 until 30^th September 2025 on the terms and conditions as set out in the updated agreement shown in Appendix B to the report (A.5).

Cabinet considered a report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.5), which sought its approval to provide an information and advice service to local residents with revised requirements via an associated specification and procurement process, with the new arrangements commencing on 1 October 2025. The report further sought Cabinet’s approval for the allocation of £0.072m to Citizen’s Advice Tendring to continue to contribute to the existing information and advice guidance service through direct funding for the interim period up to 30 September 2025 in accordance with a subsidy scheme.

Members were aware that, to date, the Council had contributed to the funding of an information and advice service available to local residents across the District. This was currently provided through Citizens Advice Tendring (CAT) via a Service Level Agreement. The current payment made to CAT for the above service was £0.144m per annum. This arrangement had been in place for 13 years, which had recently been facilitated via the adoption of a local Subsidy Control Scheme.

It was reported that in line with the high-level external funding framework agreed by Cabinet at its meeting held on 20 September 2024 and in demonstrating value for money that reflected the Council’s wider best value responsibilities, a procurement process was proposed to be undertaken for the future provision of information and advice services to local residents.

Cabinet was advised that in terms of the procurement process, it was important that the Council set out a clear specification of what it wished to procure, which included understanding the ‘market’ and what similar services were already available to local residents. This approach ensured a joined-up approach across the various sectors within the area with the underlying aim of maximising the use of the Council’s resources.

In terms of the principles underlying the provision of an information and advice service to local residents, it was important to highlight the following:

·      the challenges some parts of the community faced in relation to housing, welfare and debt;

·      almost 30% of our local neighbourhoods were in the 20% most deprived nationally;

·      there had been a 20% increase in those claiming out of work benefits between 2020 and 2022;

·      in addressing deprivation, residents needed to improve their income which could be achieved by employment, accessing higher levels of benefits and adequately managing and reducing debt;

·      the provision of information and advice was a cost-effective way of helping to support people in relation to employment, benefits and debt;

·      providers were highlighting the increasing demand, for example, CVST reported a 103% increase in demand around social prescribing and the DWP had highlighted the need around 4000 new cases formerly on Employment Support Allowance migrating to Universal Credit; and

·      Partners had also identified the greater complexity of those in need both in terms of the multiple issues they now presented with, but also that they now more frequently appeared ‘in crisis’.

Members noted that the demand for information and advice services to local residents was therefore demonstrable based on the above and as set out further in the Portfolio Holder’s report a ‘gap’ analysis had been undertaken in terms of the services offered to local people by other local organisations and providers. 

Cabinet was made aware that some funding was provided by Government to support services to assist individuals for example funding for DWP who led on Universal Credit.  Other providers who delivered advice and guidance might receive funding from Essex County Council, Tendring District Council, the North East Essex Health and Wellbeing Alliance or other partners.

Members were cognisant that there was a wide range of provision of online and telephone services provided for example by Shelter, money and debt helplines and Christians Against Poverty. Some of the main providers highlighted above such as DWP and Citizens Advice also provided some online or telephone services.

It was pointed out that several providers including DWP, CAT the Council and also CVST, highlighted the importance of face-to-face advice and, in particular, DWP highlighted that a significant number of those needing support would not use digital channels but would also not use the telephone to make contact. 

Providers had also highlighted the importance of outreach for those residents who might find it difficult to travel to access services.

Cabinet was aware that face to face provision was a more expensive way of delivering services than online advice and consequently would have a lower rate of access.  However, those people who accessed via a face-to-face method were those most likely to be furthest away from support and the least likely to engage in existing on-line provision.  Any service would need to provide a wider service than just face to face services as some clients would need different forms of access.

It was considered that when considering the type and scale of provision of an information and advice service, key considerations included ensuring any provision was easily accessible and in particular had a strong face to face component, had the potential for outreach rather than in one location, had some form of quality assurance and could deal with multiple issues residents faced and was complimentary to the existing provision of such services across the District.

With the above in mind, and in maximising the use of the Council’s resources, a recommendation was set out within the report that would provide a delegation to the Partnerships Portfolio Holder to approve the specification for the provision of an information and advice service and to then undertake the necessary procurement activities.

In further supporting the maximisation of the Council’s resources highlighted above, it was further recommended to take a modular approach to procurement, with providers being asked to indicate the complimentary services they could deliver at different price points to enable the Council to determine the best value proposition from the market.

As highlighted above the Council had historically contributed funding to an information and advice service for local residents via a Service Level Agreement with CAT, with the most recent cost being £0.144m, that had been paid to them annually.

Members were informed that CAT had been made aware of the proposed approach set out above and they could consider submitting their own ‘bid’ for the work the Council was seeking to procure and respond to the outcome of that process.

To ensure a service to residents continued for advice and information whilst the procurement took place and the service mobilised on 1 October 2025, it was the Portfolio Holder’s recommendation to extend the grant to Citizens Advice Tendring for six months. Based on the estimated procurement timeline set out in this report, it was proposed that a new contract with the provider would have been procured and could commence on 1^st October 2025.

Based on the existing arrangements in place with CAT, it was therefore recommended to allocate £0.072m to enable them to maintain the existing provision of information and advice services until 30 September 2025. This would require the withdrawal of the current termination notice issued on 9 December 2024 and the reissuing of a further termination notice reflecting the proposed approach as set out in this report and the approval of the Service Level Agreement as set out as an Appendix to this report.

Cabinet was advised that to deliver this a subsidy scheme would be required to provide the direct allocation of funding which would need to be published on the Government’s website.

Given that –

(i)       following an assessment of need it had been identified that there was a continuing demand for an information and advice service which was repurposed and commissioned, to support improving income and opportunity as residents faced increased challenges associated with deprivation;

(ii)     partners reported the importance of a holistic approach and dealing with the multiple issues residents faced which could be achieved via an information and advice service; and

(iii)    the allocation of £0.072m to the existing provider Citizen’s Advice Tendring would ensure there was continuous provision of a service and allow sufficient time for any new provider to gear up for maintaining provision of an appropriate service.

It was moved by Councillor Placey, seconded by Councillor Kotz and:-

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)       approves the provision of an information and advice service to local residents;

b)       agrees to the procurement of such services for a contract period of three years commencing 1 October 2025, and agrees to a modular procurement approach to determine what a provider could offer for various levels of potential funding e.g. £50,000, £100,000, or £150,000 per year;

c)       authorises the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive, to approve the specification for the provision of an information and advice service based on the broad principles set out within the report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.5);

d)       approves for an interim period of six months from 1 April 2025, the continuation of the existing agreement with CAT at a cost of £0.072m, supported by the existing budget for information and advice services to local residents;

e)       in respect of the contribution of £0.072m to CAT, agrees to extend the current Addressing Health Inequality – Advice, Support and Mental Health Support Subsidy Scheme for 2025/26;

f)         authorises the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships and the Monitoring Officer, to finalise the administrative requirements for the production of the Subsidy Scheme in accordance with the Subsidy Control Act 2023 and Statutory Guidance and to publish it on the Government website prior to any awards; and

g)       agrees to extend the current Service Level Agreement with Citizens Advice Tendring (CAT) from 1st April 2025 until 30^th September 2025 on the terms and conditions as set out in the updated agreement shown in Appendix B to the report (A.5).