North Yorkshire Council

 

Health and Adult Services

 

Executive Member Meeting

 

26 February 2025

 

REPORT TO Corporate Director – Health and Adult Services

 

Direct award Section 31 grants to support improvements in the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery from 2025-26.

 

 

Purpose Of Report: To seek approval from the Corporate Director – Health and Adult Services to inform the Chief Finance Officer of their approval for:

 

1.    Receipt of the direct award Section 31 grants by the council to support improvements in the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery from 2025-26.

2.    Receipt of the direct award Section 31 grant for inpatient detoxification by Leeds City Council, as lead council for the Inpatient Detoxification Consortium.

 

 

 

1.0          Background

 

The Government’s Drug Strategy, “From Harm to Hope”, published in 2021, led to an initial 3-year (2022-2025) programme of ringfenced additional investment to local drug and alcohol partnerships to expand and strengthen drug and alcohol (substance use) services and support. The funding was paid to and managed by local authorities via Section 31 grants – SSMTRG Section 31 grant; IPS Section 31 grant and IPD Section 31 grant. In total, North Yorkshire has benefitted from c. £2.3 million additional investment over this period. Receipt of additional investment was dependent on the council maintaining existing (2020/21) investment in drug and alcohol treatment services from the Public Health Grant.

 

Refer to the previous Key Decision (22 April 2022) and Grant Decision (12 July 2022):

 

Key Decision: http://pa-mgov/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1708&$LO$=1

 

Grant Decision: http://pa-mgov/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?id=1781&LLL=0

 

2.0          Issues

 

N/A.

 

3.0          Alternative options considered

 

N/A.

 

 

 

 

 

4.0          Financial Implications

 

The Government’s Drug Strategy, “From Harm to Hope”, published in 2021, led to an initial 3-year (2022-2025) programme of ringfenced additional investment to local drug and alcohol partnerships to expand and strengthen drug and alcohol (substance use) services and support. The funding was paid to and managed by local authorities via Section 31 grants.

 

North Yorkshire has now received confirmation that continued additional funding will be made available in 2025-26, via separate direct award section 31 grants (Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Grant [DATRIG] and Individual Placement and Support Grant [IPS]).

The council has received confirmation of the following indicative allocations:

 

1.    DATRIG grant - £992,276

2.    Inpatient Detoxification Consortium grant - £62,487 – paid to Leeds City Council as consortium lead.

3.    IPS grant - £217,350

 

Please note that:

 

 

The council must maintain core Public Health Grant investment in drug and alcohol service provision to be eligible to receive the grants. Although these are direct award grants for which no application process is necessary, the Council will have to submit a plan for their use to the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

A Treatment Plan Steering Group comprising representation from the following organisations oversees the development and delivery of the North Yorkshire plan (referred to as the ‘Treatment Plan’ – reporting to the North Yorkshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team (chaired by Director of Public Health and Senior Responsible Officer) and North Yorkshire Drug and Alcohol Partnership Board (chaired by Cllr Harrison):

 

·         North Yorkshire Council

·         Probation Service

·         Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner

·         North Yorkshire Horizons

·         North Yorkshire RISE

·         North Yorkshire Connected Spaces Lived Experience and Recovery Organisation

 

5.0          Legal Implications

 

The council will enter into separate Memorandum’s of Understanding with OHID for each grant from late March/early April for 2025-6. Leeds City Council will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with OHID for the IPD grant.   

 

6.0          Equalities Implications

 

All enhanced and additional provision have a dedicated focus on improving engagement in substance use and other services, and participation in North Yorkshire Connected Spaces Lived Experience and Recovery Organisation. The additional investment is focussed on reducing health inequalities – including preventable deaths. The overarching strategic framework for the ‘Treatment Plan’ is the Substance Use Strategy 2024-2028 – an equalities impact assessment was completed and updated throughout the development and approval process. 

 

 

7.0          Climate change implications

 

Any climate change considerations will be addressed through procurement and contract processes.

 

8.0          Reasons for recommendation/s

 

These are direct award grants to support improvements in the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery from 2025-26.

 

The targeted funding will support North Yorkshire to deliver on ambitions within the North Yorkshire Substance Use Strategy 2024-2028.

 

20.0     Recommendation/s

 

The Corporate Director – Health and Adult Services is asked to inform the Chief Finance Officer of their approval for:

 

1.    Receipt of the direct award Section 31 grants by the council to support improvements in the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery from 2025-26.

2.    Receipt of the direct award Section 31 grant for inpatient detoxification by Leeds City Council, as lead council for the Inpatient Detoxification Consortium.

 

 

Name and title of report author:

 

Angela Hall

Public Health Manager