Audit Commission

The Supporting People programme administered by Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council is 'fair' with 'excellent' prospects for further improvement, according to an independent report released today by the Audit Commission.

On a scale of zero to three stars, The Audit Commission inspection team gave the programme a one-star, 'fair' rating. The Council and its partners have improved the administration of the programme significantly since it was rated as a 'poor' zero-star service in an inspection in February 2008.

Domini Gunn, Audit Commission Lead Housing Inspector, said:
'There has been a strong commitment to the programme by the Council and its partners and this has led to significant improvements in the quality of housing support services for many of the most vulnerable people in the community. The progress made is resulting in improved quality of services and the creation of new services to meet the needs of vulnerable people in the borough. Further work is required to ensure that the programme's delivery continues to improve and the Council has plans in place to achieve this.'

The inspectors found:

• new services have been commissioned over the past year to meet the needs of some of the most excluded groups of vulnerable people
• strong leadership of the programme and strong partnership working with the health service, probation and individual service providers
• effective delivery and financial management of the programme by skilled staff who are motivated and well managed
• service users are now more involved in the programme and have been offered a range of training and learning opportunities
• a good track record of improvement over the past year against a challenging improvement plan
• the Council has made a strong financial commitment to the continued funding of housing-related support services over the next two years

However, the report also highlights some areas for improvement, including:

• the Council has not developed tailored services for all the vulnerable groups of people in Rochdale
• longer-term contracts are not yet in place for all services
• there is a shortage of accommodation to help people move from temporary accommodation into their own homes and work to address this is at an early stage

To help the programme to improve, inspectors made the following recommendations:

• ensure that the supply of housing-related support services better meets the needs of vulnerable people by agreeing and implementing plans to change service provision
• improve the opportunities for service users to access and move on from temporary supported accommodation
• improve the outcomes from the programme by agreeing the remaining contracts with service providers; agreeing shared outcomes and targets with all relevant partners
• ensure that equality impact assessments are carried out on all services and that performance reports are clear and accurate

The Council runs the Supporting People (SP) programme in partnership with the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust, and the Greater Manchester Probation Trust. The Council received £15m SP grant from central government in 2008/09 and 2009/10 and an administration grant of £204,000 from central government for 2009/10.

Notes to editors

1. The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
2. Our work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that we have a unique perspective. We promote value for money for taxpayers, auditing the £200 billion spent by 11,000 local public bodies.
3. As a force for improvement, we work in partnership to assess local public services and make practical recommendations for promoting a better quality of life for local people.
4. Further details about the role of the Audit Commission can be obtained from www.audit-commission.gov.uk
5. Further details about the role of the Audit Commission can be obtained from - http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk