Decisions

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic this report seeks authorisation, utilising the Special Urgency Provisions under Paragraph 2.6 of the Executive and Decision Making Procedure Rules, to secure a further 100 care home bed capacity (referenced as Phase 2), in addition to the 100 beds procured from 1 November 2020 under Phase 1. This will entail establishing a new framework agreement to increase capacity within the city. The additional beds required will continue to support the health and care system’s Discharge to Assess (D2A) provisions to ensure timely discharge from acute settings for medically fit patients. The additional beds will also be available up to 31 March 2021 with one extension period of a further six months at an approximate value of £1,880,996.00 for the initial six month period (£3,762,200 full year effect). The provision will help to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and seasonal winter pressures on the health and social care system. The full cost of this provision will be covered through NHS CCG COVID-19 funding. The necessity for this decision has come about due to the demand being presented and the lower than expected range of homes secured under the first procurement exercise (Phase 1).

On 19 March 2020, Central Government published the guidance on COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements. This places a duty on local authorities to assume lead commissioning and contracting responsibilities for “expanding the capacity in domiciliary care, care homes and reablement services in the local area”.

The guidance states that during the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals will not be able to wait in hospital until their choice of care home has a vacancy. People will be required to accept a care home placement on a short term basis until the care home of their choice is able to provide them with a bed.  Additionally, some people are likely to only require a short term placement in a care home as a ‘step down’ from hospital until they are well enough to go back to their own home.

In response to the national guidance, the Adults and Health Directorate’s Integrated Commissioning staff are required to secure additional care home bed capacity on a short term basis for people who are ready to be discharged from hospital and who are awaiting an assessment, a home care package or a care home placement at a home of their choice.  This capacity is to be sourced from a range of independent sector care homes and will include residential care and nursing care, including for people with dementia. These beds will again be managed through a framework agreement which will run up to 31 March 2021 with the option to extend for up to a further six months. 

Commissioning officers undertook a procurement exercise (Phase 1) which resulted in the creation of the first framework agreement (delegated decision reference D52435) consisting of independent sector care home providers. The framework that will be established through this decision will operate in an identical two phase approach. During Part  1 of the process LCC will determine the number of beds available across the market with no commitment to purchasing any D2A beds at that point. During Part 2 the Council determine which providers and D2A beds to call-off from the framework agreement contract based on presented demand. This process is currently being directly managed through hospital social work teams as part of the placement process. In place of a full assessment a better conversations record and an order form is completed with the patient, the social worker forwards these to the nominated care home. These documents form the basis of the contract and will be the actual call-off.

Contract Procedure Rule 3.1.6 states that, ‘unless expressly provided for in the original decision, a decision to place a call-off under a framework agreement will not be treated as consequential upon the decision to enter into the framework agreement and that a Delegated Decision based on the value (estimated if necessary) and impact of the procurement will be taken both at the point that a procurement route for a framework agreement is chosen and for each call-off (or linked bundle of call-offs)’. In line with this rule this report requests that the decision made allows for all future call-offs from the framework agreement to be approved at this point based on the expected value of any one call-off and are treated as direct consequential decisions of this ‘umbrella’ key decision. This is of particular importance in light of the number of call-offs that could be made and the time sensitive nature of these call-offs with regards to the effective management of hospital beds.

For context, the maximum value that a call-off from the framework agreement could be is approximately £11,036.00. This is calculated on the assumption of a bed at the Quality Premium Price (QPP) being activated and occupied for a six week period followed by a retention rate of 50% for the remainder of the agreement. In all probability the turnover of activated beds will be high and therefore the actual value of each call off more likely to be closer to the £3,354.00 to £3,738.00 costs of bed being active for six weeks. This is dependent on both the nature of the bed (residential or nursing) and the uplift or not of the QPP.

12 providers responded to the initial tender within the stated deadline under Phase 1 with a total of 171 beds being offered across 15 care homes. This limited number of responses reduces the range of choice that can be presented as well as it presenting a higher level of risk should any homes be subject to lockdowns due to any COVID positive outbreaks.

In the initial procurement exercise (Phase 1) permission was granted to utilise 100 beds only. This provision is likely to rapidly be utilised due to an increasing number of patients requiring immediate discharge from hospitals. Due to the potential for outbreaks at care homes and the need to offer greater choice with regards to locations it is necessary to ensure we have flexibility with the number of beds available for D2A.

Commissioning Officers will work with Procurement and Commercial Services to complete the procurement exercise requested in this report at the earliest possible date as the numbers of people awaiting discharge from hospital has started to significantly rise. It is recognised that a prospective COVID-19 spike during the upcoming winter, in addition to existing winter pressures, could lead to insurmountable pressure on the local health and social care systems without an immediate response. This second framework will operate in the same manner as the initial framework agreement (detailed above) and all subsequent call offs from this framework will be managed through the hospital placement system. Award of places onto the framework will be authorised as a significant operational decision pursuant to the authorisation requested, as a direct consequence of this decision

In accordance with the guidance on COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements issued by Central Government on 19 March 2020, this provision is to be paid for from the NHS COVID-19 budget which is held by NHS Leeds CCG. 

Previous reports relating to accessing care home beds for short term provision have noted that care homes are frequently reluctant to offer placements to people on a short term basis as this impacts on their income due to frequency of voids as a result of a high turnover of the residents. Under the proposals covered here care home providers will register the number of beds they are able to offer under each bed category, e.g. residential, nursing or dementia. No payments will take place until the first admission to a bed, from which point the fee will be paid at the Council’s agreedfee rate for the duration of the bed occupation. A retainer fee of 50% of the Council’s fee will then be paid for the period of time in which the bed is unused. Providers who were successful in the first procurement exercise will be advised not to apply again as Phase 2 will offer them the same opportunity over the equivalent time period. Commissioning Officers believe a further procurement exercise will attract additional providers and care home bed capacity following communication from care homes who missed the deadline for the first opportunity.  Direct contact will be made with care homes across the city prior to the deadline for receipt of applications, encouraging them to participate in Phase 2, in order that there is increased interest in the opportunity among providers.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic the Director of Adults and Health gave authorisation, utilising the Special Urgency Provisions under Paragraph 2.6 of the Executive and Decision Making Procedure Rules, to secure a further 100 care home bed capacity (referenced as Phase 2), in addition to the 100 beds procured from 1 November 2020 under Phase 1. This will entail establishing a new framework agreement to increase capacity within the city. The additional beds required will continue to support the health and care system’s Discharge to Assess (D2A) provisions to ensure timely discharge from acute settings for medically fit patients. The additional beds will also be available up to 31 March 2021 with one extension period of a further six months at an approximate value of £1,880,996.00 for the initial six month period (£3,762,200 full year effect). The provision will help to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and seasonal winter pressures on the health and social care system. The full cost of this provision will be covered through NHS CCG COVID-19 funding. The necessity for this decision has come about due to the demand being presented and the lower than expected range of homes secured under the first procurement exercise (Phase 1).

On 19 March 2020, Central Government published the guidance on COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements. This places a duty on local authorities to assume lead commissioning and contracting responsibilities for “expanding the capacity in domiciliary care, care homes and reablement services in the local area”.

The decision relates to the proposed approach to the administration of Leeds City Council COVID-19 Local Restrictions Support Grants (LRSG) and Additional Restrictions Grants (ARG) both in relation to the initial funding and any subsequent funding and to delegate the approval to award grants under it as set out in the Director of City Development’s Sub-Delegation Scheme.

The Director of City Development:

a)  Noted the contents of this report and the advice contained within it.

b)  Approved the proposed approach to the administration of Leeds City Council COVID-19 Local Restrictions Support Grants and Additional Restrictions Grants both in relation to the initial funding and any subsequent funding and delegated the approval to award grants under it as set out in the Director of City Development’s Sub-Delegation Scheme.

To advise Executive Board on the request by the Park and Countryside service to secure a contract for the supply of fixed play equipment using a single supplier for a period of 1 yr with the proposal to extend for a further 3 yrs. via 3 one yr extensions if needed.

Installation of equipment will be included to be used as and when required.

That the Chief Officer Parks and Countryside approved the request to allow the service to conduct a further competition against Lot 2 of the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation’s (ESPO) Framework Agreement (115) with the intention of awarding to a single supplier for the supply and occasional installation of Outdoor Playground Equipment for the period of 1 year (March 2021 – February 2022) with the option of a further 3 x 12 month extensions.

To seek approval to inject £510,400 of development funds from the Transforming Cities Fund into the capital programme

The Chief Officer (Highways and Transportation):

i)  approved the injection of £510,400 of development funds from Transforming Cities Funds (TCF) into Leeds City Council’s (LCC) Capital Programme. The injection of these funds will enable further work to progress on feasibility options to inform the OBCs;

ii)  agreed to LCC entering a funding agreement with WYCA to cover the development funding (£510,400); and

iii)  noted the work undertaken to date on this project.

To approve the implementation of a signalled junction improvement scheme at the Dyneley Arms intersection (A660/A658). The Highway Authority shall enter into a funding agreement with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to promote the works and all associated permanent and temporary land acquisitions required for the scheme footprint.

The Chief Officer (Highways & Transportation):

i)  approved the A660/A658 Dyneley Arms junction detailed design;

ii)  approved the conclusion of the necessary land acquisitions at an estimated cost of £25,000;

iii)  approved the injection of £1,521,408 funding into the capital programme from the West Yorkshire Transport Fund in addition to the previously injected funds of £765,000 for development and design fees;

iv)  gave authority to spend £2,286,408 funded from the West Yorkshire Transport Fund on receipt of Final Business Case Plus approval by the Combined Authority;

v)  approved the scheme delivery through the established Leeds City Council Term Contract for highway works at an estimated cost of £1,518,908 including enabling works, delivery and construction risk;

vi)  approved a variation to the scheme funding agreement with the Combined Authority to reflect the full final project costs on confirmation of the Final Business Case Plus approval by the Combined Authority; and

vii)  approved with reference to the powers contained in Section 66(4) of the Highways Act 1980, that the relevant lengths of footway shown on attached Drawing No 732827/LCC/HWT/DA/DR/CH/GA_01b that following the removal of the footways, the cycle track is constructed under the powers contained under the provisions of section 65(1) of the Highways Act 1980 for segregated or shared joint use by pedal cyclists and pedestrians.

To approve entering a new 3 year Microsoft Enterprise Agreement from 1st October 2020

Commit to the utilisation of existing revenue budgets to pay the annual support and maintenance costs of the services acquired under this agreement.

The Director of Resources and Housing authorised that the Council:

Award a call off contract to Bytes Software Services Ltd under the Councils Software Framework (LCCITS190020) and enter a new three year Microsoft Enterprise Agreement from the 1st October 2020. The value of the agreement is approx. £8,300K.

Commit to the utilisation of existing revenue budgets for the costs of the services acquired under this agreement.

The national teacher pay award and School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) will come into force on 14th October 2020.

Leeds will adopt the advisory pay points set by the DfE which range from 2.75% to 5.5% for new teachers in line with the Government’s agenda to reach a 30k starting salary by 2022/23. 

For 2020/21 LCC had budgeted a total pay bill increase of 2.75%. However the nationally agreed wage bill increase is 3.1%. Leeds estimate the local pay bill increase to be 3%. The additional costs to Leeds schools are expected to exceed 600k, subject to DfE funding. Decision required on accepting these additional costs.

The Director of Resources & Housing:

•  Approved the total additional costs to Leeds schools of £626k and £29k to the Children’s and Families budget.

•  Agreed the implementation of the Teacher pay policies without full trade union collective agreement (see 3.3) to ensure teachers receive backdated pay awards as expected, in December 2020 pay.

The two high rise housing blocks Westerly Rise and Croft require their existing electric space heating and hot water systems replaced.

This is an opportunity for this project to build on phase 1 works and will involve the removal of electric storage heaters, and the installation of ground source heat pumps (GSHP) with linked installation of a new wet heating system in the flats.

The Director of Resources and Housing:

a)  Approved this scheme to replace heating and hot water systems in two high rise blocks, Westerly Croft and Westerly Rise, and install ground source heating pumps (GSHP).

b)  Authorised expenditure of £1.510m from the capital programme during the financial year 2020/21.

c)  Approved the proposed procurement of an external contractor for these specialist works via a direct call off from the Procurement for Housing (PFH) framework.