Decision details

To receive approval to accept grant funding of £3.267m from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the National Lottery, to deliver a Changing Futures Programme in Sheffield, supporting vulnerable adults facing multiple disadvantage.

That the Executive Member for Health and Social Care:-

(a) notes that it is Sheffield City Council’s intention to participate in the Changing Futures Programme;

(b) gives approval to accept grant funding of £3.267m, of which the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will fund £2.199m and The National Lottery will fund £1.068m;

(c) where no authority exists under the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation of Executive Functions, delegates to the Director of Health and Social Care, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Commercial Services, to accept The National Lottery Community Fund grant funding (£1.068m), when such offer is made; and

(d) where no authority exists under the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation of Executive Functions, delegates to the Director of Health and Social Care, in consultation with Director of Finance and Commercial Services, to take such steps regarding the Changing Futures funding in order to meet the aims and objections as set out in the report. 

The recommendation to accept this grant funding from MHCLG and the National Lottery is to allow the delivery of the Changing Futures Programme in Sheffield. Without this funding, the Council will have to either seek alternative funding arrangements or reduce or withdraw our aspirations in this area of work and with this cohort of people.

The Changing Futures Programme will help to deliver a number of strategic objectives that are shared between key partners, such as:-

-       Joint commissioning intentions between Sheffield City Council and Clinical Commissioning Group 2021/22: Improve access to healthcare and health outcomes for most marginalised groups;

-       Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2017-22: strengthen partnerships to support adults with complex and multiple needs;

-       Community Safety Partnership Plan 2019-21: domestic abuse and hate crime;

-       Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2019-24: all is relevant. Ambitions include “Everyone has access to a home that supports their health” and “Everyone has equitable access to care and support shaped around them”;

-       Sheffield Safeguarding Adult Board Strategic Plan 2020-23: all is relevant. Priorities include “working in partnership” and “engage and empower”;

-       South Yorkshire Police and Crime Plan 2017-21 and its successors. Current plan priorities are all relevant, including “protecting vulnerable people” and “treating people fairly”; and

-       South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Strategy: most are relevant. Priorities include “Encourage all professionals and organisations to continue to work toward becoming trauma-informed” and “Work in partnership to improve the mental health of the population, and advocate for those who need support to receive it in a timely manner”.

Partnership work to improve outcomes for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage has been ongoing for several years. Previous business cases have been developed for a seconded multi-agency team; and commissioning a service through a Social Impact Bond. These projects encountered complications and did not enter delivery.

As grant funding, the Changing Futures Programme is considered to be a more flexible and therefore more appropriate approach for this complex cohort. Its system-wide focus is also more likely to lead to a sustainable change in support offered to vulnerable adults in Sheffield.

As part of the Council’s submission to MHCLG, we included a bid for 30 units of additional supported accommodation. MHCLG and the National Lottery took a programme decision to remove any request for funding for activity that was high cost and low priority when compared to the core delivery model and subsequently this part of our bid was refused.