Purpose

The Financial Safeguarding Team (FST) currently act as corporate appointee and deputy for people who receive services from LCC and lack capacity to manage their own finances. The team have reached capacity and have a growing waiting list of people requiring the service. In addition, LCC's Disability Service has a number of people who have no current arrangements in place to manage their finances.

This presents a major safeguarding issue as people are unable to pay their rent, utilities and groceries. This has increased the use of temporary arrangements such as using petty cash in care homes, corporate credit cards and visits to food banks.

Following discussion with Legal and Procurement it was agreed that a direct award could be made under Schedule 3 'Light Touch' procurement.

The rationale for making a direct award is due to the ongoing and growing safeguarding issue of people being unable to access their finances. There are a few organisations who provide services for appointeeships or deputyships, but few can manage both. The decision was made to award the contract to Money Carer Foundation as a preferred provider, who provide a comprehensive service and are based in the North-west.

The contract will either be to the value of £600,000 or 2 years, whichever happens first. The short-term arrangement will provide extra capacity and will allow for an options appraisal and procurement of a long-term solution for managing the finances of vulnerable adults. The contract value would not be paid by LCC but is indicative of the total value of referrals we would send to the provider, paid from the benefits and savings of the people referred.

Decision

Kashif Ahmed, Director of Strategic & Integrated Commissioning, took a decision to approve the direct award of the contract, to the value of £600,000, to Moneycarer Foundation to manage the finances of vulnerable adults in Lancashire.