MD3161 Rough Sleeping – RSI Additional Targeted Funding, CHAIN and Rapid Response Outreach

1.1.    A total of 10,053 people were seen sleeping rough in London during 2022-23. This is a 21 per cent increase compared to 2021-22. Of these, 64 per cent were new to the streets; 16 per cent were returning to rough sleeping after not being seen in the previous year; and 51 per cent were non-UK nationals. Additionally, 71 per cent had support needs, of which 51 per cent related to mental health; 31 per cent to alcohol; and 32 per cent to drugs. 
1.2.    In his 2018 London Housing Strategy, the Mayor set out his aim for a sustainable route off the streets for every rough sleeper in London. In June 2018 he published his Rough Sleeping Plan of Action, which outlines the steps that must be taken by City Hall, government and others to achieve this aim. In 2021, the Mayor refreshed his Rough Sleeping Commissioning Framework, which sets out the overarching and cross-cutting priorities that will underpin the GLA’s commissioning activities from 2021 to 2024. 
1.3.    Since taking office, the Mayor has been expanding the pan-London rough-sleeping services that the GLA funds and commissions. These services – collectively forming the GLA Rough Sleeping programme – are for people with experience, or at risk, of sleeping rough. They are initiatives to tackle rough sleeping that cannot or would not be provided at a London-borough level, as they are either niche or pan-London/multi-borough in their remit. Since 2016, the GLA Rough Sleeping programme has supported over 15,500 people to leave the streets for good. 
1.4.    From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mayor’s rough-sleeping services, as well as those commissioned by councils in London, helped more people than ever before. The 2021-22 annual statistics from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) suggested that significant progress had been made in reducing rough sleeping in London. However, despite record numbers of people being supported off the streets, the number of people seen sleeping rough in London in 2022-23 increased by 21 per cent from the previous year. This has been attributed to the winding-down of initiatives first implemented during the pandemic, and the effects of the cost-of-living crisis. 
1.5.    The GLA Rough Sleeping programme is funded from core GLA budget, supplemented by various government grants, such as DLUHC’s Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI). The following Mayoral Decisions (MDs) pertain to this programme: 
•    MD2559 (March 2020) approved receipt and expenditure of £4.67m in government funding to expand various core services and to develop initiatives for non-UK national rough sleepers. 
•    MD2789 (March 2021) approved expenditure of £13.69m of GLA Rough Sleeping programme budget to extend various core services up to March 2025; and £1.36m to continue to grant-fund various projects. It also approved receipt and expenditure of £6.66m in government funding, which included the continuation of several RSI projects. 
•    MD2853 (August 2021) approved receipt and expenditure of £24.55m in government funding, and expenditure of £0.17m of GLA Rough Sleeping programme budget, to fund various projects. 
•    MD2957 (March 2022) approved receipt and expenditure of £3.65m in government funding, and expenditure of £3.85m of GLA Rough Sleeping programme budget, to fund various projects. 
•    MD2993 (June 2022) approved the receipt and expenditure of £30.38m from DLUHC’s RSI. 
•    MD3043 (December 2022) approved the receipt and expenditure of £0.54m in government funding and expenditure of £1.25m of GLA Rough Sleeping programme budget, to fund various projects. 
•    MD3089 (March 2023) approved the receipt and expenditure of £0.2m from DLUHC’s RSI, and expenditure of £0.1m of GLA Rough Sleeping programme budget, to fund various projects. 
•    MD3135 (June 2023) approved the receipt and expenditure of £3.61m from DLUHC’s RSI, £0.05m from DLUHC’s Controlling Migration Fund, and expenditure of £16.36m from the GLA’s Rough Sleeping Programme Budget, to fund core services and various projects. 
1.6.    Some of the services and interventions that are the subject of this decision form part of the GLA Rough Sleeping programme; and are extensions, expansions or continuations of services previously approved by the above MDs. 
Life off the Streets programme 
1.7.    There are currently seven Life off the Streets (LOtS) services under contract. New contracts for Migrant Accommodation Pathways Support (MAPS) (formerly Routes Home) and the Rapid Response Outreach Team (RROT) were the most recently awarded. These contracts began on 1 April 2023, following a successful procurement process approved by MD2993. New contracts for CHAIN, Clearing House, and the Tenancy Sustainment Teams North and South commenced in April 2022, following procurement approved in MD2789. 
1.8.    Procurement of the No Second Night Out service was approved by MD3135, with the new contract to commence on 1 April 2024. MD3135 also approved the expansion of the RROT service with additional staff members until 31 March 2024. 
Rough Sleeping Initiative 2022-25 
1.9.    The government launched the RSI in 2018-19, coinciding with the Homelessness Reduction Act coming into force. Funding was targeted at local authorities and areas with high levels of rough sleeping. The GLA was allocated £3.3m in June 2018 as part of the first round of RSI funding; it has received funding in each subsequent RSI allocation. 
1.10.    Whilst many of the Mayor’s LOtS services are funded by the GLA’s Rough Sleeping programme budget, in recent years some have been introduced, enhanced or expanded as a result of RSI funding. 
1.11.    In 2021-22, RSI funding enabled the GLA to move to the recovery phase of its COVID-19 Rough Sleeping Response (see MD2853). Receipt and expenditure of a further £3.5m of RSI funding was approved in MD2957. This continued support for both the above-mentioned recovery phase, and the continuation and expansion of several of LOtS services (detailed in section 1.13 of MD2957). 
1.12.    In 2021-22, DLUHC opened a new round of bidding for the RSI, with funding available to projects for up to three years from April 2022 to March 2025 (RSI 2022-25). In February 2022, the GLA submitted a bid for RSI 2022-25 in partnership with London Councils, and a successful allocation of £33.87m was awarded on 19 May 2022. MD2957 approved the receipt of £3.49m of this allocation for projects and services in Q1 2022-23 only. Receipt and expenditure of the remaining £30.38m was approved by MD2993 in June 2022. 
1.13.    In 2023, DLUHC opened a round of bidding for RSI additional targeted funding, with funding available for projects for the remaining duration of the RSI 2022-25 period, until March 2025. The GLA again submitted a bid in partnership with London Councils for this additional targeted funding round and a successful allocation of £1.16m was awarded in June 2023. 
Activity and funding profile 
1.14.    This decision approves funding for multiple elements of the GLA Rough Sleeping programme. 
1.15.    The newly approved expenditure will be as follows:

1.16.    Details of the services/projects in the above table, and a more detailed breakdown of the funding mechanisms and budget, are set out in section 2.

2.1.    The GLA Rough Sleeping programme focuses on achieving the Mayor’s vision for everyone sleeping rough to have a sustainable route away from the streets. The programme is underpinned by the overarching priorities, set out in the pan-London Rough Sleeping Commissioning Framework 2021, and to be achieved by working with boroughs and partners. These priorities are: 
•    to prevent people from sleeping rough 
•    to provide an immediate route off the streets 
•    to deliver sustainable accommodation and solutions for those leaving rough sleeping 
•    to ensure people have the support which they need to rebuild their lives. 
2.2.    A key performance indicator (KPI) for the GLA is that at least 85 per cent of rough sleepers who are supported by the GLA’s rough-sleeping services do not return to the streets. 
2.3.    RSI 2022-25 funding from DLUHC follows the government’s stated objective of ending rough sleeping by the end of the current Parliament, with a three-year commitment to enable bidders to build, grow and improve their rough-sleeping provision. The aim of the GLA services funded through the RSI 2022-25 is to support individual boroughs in reducing rough-sleeping numbers in London, while monitoring the overall London-wide target through the LOtS governance structures. The GLA will deploy pan-London resources as appropriate (in partnership with London Councils, DLUHC and other agencies) to help reduce the numbers of those sleeping rough in London. 
2.4.    Further details of individual services and projects for which approval is being sought under this MD are set out below.
Core Life off the Streets rough-sleeping services – exercise of contractual options
Rapid Response Outreach Team 
2.5.    The primary aims of the RROT are to rapidly respond to StreetLink referrals across 26 London boroughs; and offer an immediate route away from the streets to people found bedding down. The RROT also works in partnership with Transport for London to respond to referrals of people sleeping rough on the night-transport network. 
2.6.    Following an open, competitive procurement process to identify the provider, in compliance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code (the Code), the RROT contract was awarded to Thames Reach and entered into on 1 April 2023. The initial RROT contract value was £3.75m over three years (£1.25m per annum) and approved in MD2993. 
2.7.    MD3135 approved a variation to the contract with Thames Reach for expenditure of £0.2m to expand the level of the RROT’s outreach on the night transport network, between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024 bringing the total value of the contract to £3.95m over three years. 
2.8.    The new funding being approved will extend the coverage of the RROT to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, through recruiting one additional worker (or equivalent) to enable the service to respond to StreetLink referrals in the borough. 
2.9.    This expansion of the service will ensure that people sleeping rough in Tower Hamlets rapidly receive help from an outreach service, which then will aim to identify an immediate route off the street for them. This will take the total number of London boroughs supported by the RROT to 27. 
2.10.    The RROT contract allows the GLA to require Thames Reach to provide optional services. This was set out in the initial procurement documents in a clear, precise and unequivocal clauses. The option is being exercised in accordance with those clauses, and at the price stated by Thames Reach for this option during the procurement exercise. 
2.11.    This MD therefore seeks approval for expenditure of £0.1m funding from the GLA’s Rough Sleeping programme budget, for the exercise of GLA’s contractual options for general services in the RROT contract with Thames Reach – in this case, additional capacity to expand the service to another borough. This will enable the service to expand its coverage into Tower Hamlets during 2023-24. 
Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN)
2.12.    CHAIN is the most complete source of data on a rough-sleeping population within the UK. Commissioned by the GLA, and provided by Homeless Link since 1 April 2022, the CHAIN system is the main recording tool for all street-outreach services across London. It plays an important role in monitoring the work of on-street services; and the needs and outcomes for people they work with. CHAIN also produces regular published reports for the homelessness sector and the public. 
2.13.    Following an open, competitive procurement process to identify the provider, in compliance with the Code, the CHAIN contract was awarded to Homeless Link. The contract began in April 2022. The initial contract value was £1.2m over three years (£0.4m per annum) and was approved under MD2789. Exercise of a contractual option with a value of £0.08m for short-term staffing due to newly announced government funding and requirements was approved by MD2957. Exercise of a further contractual option for a value of £0.1m to extend this additional staffing, was approved by MD3043 in December 2022. This brought the total contract value to £1.38m. 
2.14.    In 2022, the LotS Partnership data workstream, initiated a data-linking project, The Strategic Insights Tool. This project will allow matching of de-identified  data across multiple systems relevant to rough sleeping, to inform high-level strategic decisions. The project will also enable the adoption and roll-out the government’s new rough sleeping indicators in London. 
2.15.    The existing CHAIN contract with Homeless Link funds the day-to-day requirements for the service. There are, however, additional requirements to deliver the Strategic Insights Tool, primarily system user support and administration support. These require additional staffing in the CHAIN service. This work will be required across 2022-23 and 2023-24. 
2.16.    MD3089 approved receipt of £0.08m of funding from DLUHC. It also approved expenditure of these funds, between 1 October 2023 and 31 March 2024, to enable the CHAIN service to administer the new Strategic Insights Tool, through exercise of a contractual option with Homeless Link. 
2.17.    Funding of £0.14m has been secured from the London Housing Directors’ Group to enable CHAIN to administer the Strategic Insights Tool in 2023-24. This funding will be received by London Councils, who in turn will grant the funds to the GLA. This will enable the GLA to exercise existing options in the CHAIN contract to support the delivery of the project. 
2.18.    The CHAIN contract allows the GLA to require Homeless Link to provide two kinds of optional services: general and specific. These options were set out in the initial procurement documents in clear, precise and unequivocal clauses. The option is being exercised in accordance with those clauses, and at the price stated by Homeless Link for this option during the procurement exercise. 
2.19.    This MD seeks therefore seeks approval for expenditure of £0.14m of funding from London Councils, for the exercise of the GLA’s contractual options for general services in the CHAIN contract with Homeless Link – in this case, additional staffing. This will enable the service to administer the Strategic Insights Tool, between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. 
Rough Sleeping Initiative Targeted Additional Funding – grant funding 
Crisis at Christmas 
2.20.    Since 2021-22, the GLA has worked in partnership with DLUHC and St Mungo’s to support the charity Crisis in extending its Crisis at Christmas initiative beyond its usual Christmas and New Year opening. 
2.21.    The purpose of the extension is to find longer-term move-on options for Crisis at Christmas guests, and to minimise the number of people returning to the street. The intervention has proved successful – in 2021-22, 160 people who would have otherwise returned to the street were prevented from doing so; and in 2022-23, 85 per cent of guests of the extension period had not been seen sleeping rough one month following closure. 
2.22.    For Winter 2022-23, DLUHC provided funding the GLA to enable the delivery of this project. MD3043 approved receipt and expenditure of £0.54m of funding from central government. The expenditure in 2022-23 comprised £0.39m by grant to Crisis; £0.14m by grant to St Mungo’s for a team of move-on support staff; and £0.01m for GLA staffing.
2.23.    For Winter 2023-24, GLA has received an allocation £0.44m from DLUHC to again fund the Crisis at Christmas extension, through the government’s RSI 2022-25 additional targeted funding 2023-25. This funding will be used to enable Crisis to extend one of the Crisis at Christmas hotels (148 beds) for a longer period and fund specialist move-on support from St Mungo’s for guests at this site, to ensure that as many people as possible are found a longer-term route off the street before it closes.
2.24.    This MD seeks approval of expenditure of £0.44m of funding from DLUHC’s RSI programme, of which £0.32m will be grant funded to Crisis and £0.12m grant funded to St Mungo’s, to enable provision of hotel accommodation and specialist move-on support for people sleeping rough in January 2024. 
London Councils: Subregional Immigration Advice Services – Link Worker and Accommodation Fund
2.25.    In 2022, the GLA and London Councils secured RSI 2022-25 funding for the Sub-Regional Immigration Advice Services (SIAS). This funded four specialist sub-regional immigration advice services in London for rough sleepers, and those at risk of rough sleeping, who need specialist support to clarify and/or regularise their immigration status. This programme is grant funded and overseen by London Councils. 
2.26.    As part of this programme, a Link Worker Service, that sits within St Mungo’s, offers specialist homelessness support and is attached to SIAS. The focus of the team is to facilitate access to immigration advice for rough sleepers and people at risk of rough sleeping by improving communication and referral pathways into SIAS. 
2.27.    As part of this work, an Accommodation Fund is held by the St Mungo’s Link Worker Service to make accommodation placements for non-UK nationals sleeping rough who are engaged with SIAS. The funding can be used to fund temporary accommodation for clients that have low support needs; but is mostly be used to spot-purchase supported accommodation placements within existing homelessness pathways in order to provide a suitable and safe offer for clients with medium to high support needs. 
2.28.    MD2993 approved expenditure of £4.93m (£1.23m in 2022-23, £1.91m in 2023-24 and £1.79m in 2024-25, see section 2.95 in the MD) to grant-fund London Councils to run a grant programme for SIAS between 1 July 2022 and 31 March 2025.
2.29.    MD3089 approved the reallocation of £120,000 of 2022-23 RSI underspend by way of a variation of the GLA’s existing grant to London Councils to expand the SIAS Accommodation Fund in 2022-23.
2.30.    The GLA and London Councils secured £0.65m from DLUHC’s RSI 2022-25 additional targeted funding 2023-25 to fund the extension of the Link Worker Service (£0.11m in 2023-24 and £0.24m in 2024-25) and the expansion of the SIAS Accommodation Fund (£0.15m and £0.15m in 2024-25). This will be received by the GLA and granted onwards to London Councils. 
2.31.    This MD seeks approval of expenditure of £0.26m in 2023-24 and £0.39m in 2024-25 of funds from DLUHC’s RSI programme, by way of a variation of the GLA’s existing grant to London Councils, to expand the SIAS Accommodation Fund and extend the Link Worker Service.
Women’s Rough Sleeping Policy Manager 
2.32.    The Women’s Development Unit (WDU) was a two-year partnership between two charities, The Connection at St Martin’s and Solace Women’s Aid; it ran from February 2021 to March 2023. The WDU worked to bring strategic attention to women’s homelessness and rough sleeping, advocating for change to ensure services can meet the needs of women experiencing homelessness in London. 
2.33.    The WDU produced the Strategy for Ending Women’s Homelessness in London in March 2022. A key recommendation concerned collecting better data on women’s homelessness; supporting new and renewing strategies to become gender-informed; and raising awareness on women’s homelessness. 
2.34.    The WDU ceased operations in March 2023. However, the GLA and London Councils secured a total of £0.07m from DLUHC’s RSI 2022-25 additional targeted funding, to fund the appointment of a Women’s Rough Sleeping Policy Manager. This appointment was funded in order to further the aims detailed above. This funding will be received by the GLA and granted onwards to London Councils. 
2.35.    The Women’s Rough Sleeping Policy Manager, a role that will sit in Solace Women’s Aid, will work closely alongside London Councils, and the LOtS Ending and Preventing Women’s Rough Sleeping sub-group to agree, coordinate and deliver activities at a strategic level to help ensure that rough sleeping for women can be prevented and where it occurs is rare, brief and non-recurrent. 
2.36.    This MD therefore seeks approval for expenditure of £0.04m in 2023-24 and £0.03m in 2024-25 of funds from DLUHC’s RSI programme, by way of a variation of the GLA’s existing grant to London Councils, for a Women’s Rough Sleeping Policy Manager. 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as public authorities, the Mayor and the GLA are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty, and must have “due regard” of the need to: 
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation 
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not 
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. 
3.2.    Protected characteristics under section 149 of the Equality Act are age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status (all except the last being “relevant” protected characteristics). 
3.3.    Objective 3 of the Mayor’s equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, Inclusive London, is “to address the specific barriers that prevent some rough sleepers exiting rough sleeping and rebuilding their lives”. 
3.4.    The funding in this decision will help to tackle the inequalities experienced by certain groups of Londoners most affected by homelessness and rough sleeping. 
3.5.    Of those seen sleeping rough in 2022-23: 
•    51 per cent were non-UK nationals 
•    19 per cent were Black or Black British 
•    5 per cent were Roma 
•    51 per cent had a mental health need 
•    17 per cent were female 
•    58 per cent were aged 26-45 
•    8 per cent were under 26 
•    12 per cent were over 55. 
3.6.    Homelessness in London, and specifically rough sleeping, disproportionately affects people with certain protected characteristics. Increasing the provision of rough-sleeping services will help to achieve positive impacts in line with the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation. 
3.7.    The allocation of funding in this decision is aimed at implementing the Mayor’s policies set out in the London Housing Strategy. In May 2018 the GLA published an equality impact assessment (EIA) of that strategy. Policies related to tackling homelessness and helping rough sleepers, to which this service will contribute, were included in that assessment. The EIA concluded that measures to support people sleeping rough off the streets, and to help them avoid returning, means rough sleepers will be removed from the acute risk and social isolation that sleeping rough creates. This will benefit those with certain characteristics whom the baseline for the EIA identified as disproportionately more likely to be seen sleeping on London’s streets. 
3.8.    As the majority of people sleeping rough are men, more men than women are likely to access these services. However, the services will provide personalised, specialist support for women and non-binary people that meets the needs of these groups. The Women’s Rough Sleeping Policy Manager will specifically work to ensure that women are better served by rough sleeping services in London. 
 

Key risks and issues
4.1.    The key risks and issues for the GLA Rough Sleeping programme are outlined in the table below: 

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities 
4.2.    The projects and services for which this MD seeks approval will help meet Policy 7.2, “Supporting Rough Sleepers off the Streets”, of the Mayor’s London Housing Strategy. This will occur through a range of actions to help meet the stated central aim of the Mayor “to ensure there is a route off the streets for every single rough sleeper in London”. The GLA Rough Sleeping team works closely with partners in local authorities, London Councils, DLUHC and the charity sector to support rough sleepers off the streets; and provides pan-London leadership and coordination. The services and projects funded form part of proposal B of the same policy, which states: 
“The Mayor will fund and commission a range of pan-London services and other initiatives to complement those provided by local councils. These will focus on identifying rough sleepers and intervening rapidly to support them off the streets, providing specialist support for particular groups, and helping rough sleepers stay off the street.” 
4.3.    The projects and services funded through this MD will also help meet the objectives of the London Health Inequalities Strategy. Addressing homelessness and rough sleeping is one of the seven objectives set by the Mayor to achieve the aim that all Londoners benefit from an environment and an economy that together promote good mental and physical health.
Conflicts of interest 
4.4.    There are no known conflicts of interest for those involved in the drafting or clearance of this report. 
Subsidy control 
4.5.    In regard to the grants awarded under this MD that meet or may meet the subsidy control threshold, there is an equity rationale for these as, taken together, they will mean hundreds of people are supported to find a longer-term solution to their homelessness and to address other support needs, rather than remaining on or returning to the streets, as would otherwise have been the case. The funding to be granted is specifically to achieve these objectives and is commensurate with the resources they require for this purpose. Without this subsidy, it is clear that the policy objectives would not be achieved, as these projects would not otherwise be funded. It is only with this additional funding that the providers can deliver these projects. The GLA will closely monitor the grants to ensure that they are spent as agreed; and that they deliver the stated policy objectives of supporting people to secure a longer-term route away from rough sleeping and to address mental and physical health issues. 
4.6.    It is not considered possible for any less distortive means to achieve these policy objectives. It would not be feasible to achieve the same outcome through introducing ex ante competition for contracted services or via a different funding mechanism (e.g. a loan). The people accommodated or supported by these services are homeless Londoners, who would not otherwise be able to pay, on a market basis, for the services provided by the project. The low risk of any impact on competition is far outweighed by the benefits of supporting these people (many of whom will have been sleeping rough for long periods) to find a longer-term solution to their homelessness and to address mental and physical health issues. 
4.7.    It should be noted that in the case of the on-grant to London Councils of funding received through DLUHC’s RSI – targeted additional funding, it was a condition of this funding allocation from central government to the GLA that this funding was subsequently granted to London Councils. 
 

5.1.    Mayoral approval is sought for expenditure of up to £1.4m, of which £0.1m is proposed to be funded from the GLA Rough Sleeping programme budget; £1.16m is DLUHC’s RSI targeted funding; and £0.14m is from London Councils. Details of this expenditure and funding are provided in the table at paragraph 1.15. 
5.2.    £0.84m of the expenditure is estimated to be spent in 2023-24; the remaining £0.56m is to be spent in 2024-25. The table below shows the profile and funding of the expenditure outlined in paragraph 1.15: Where funding is received this financial year and spend will be in 2024-25 the income will be moved to 2024-25 via income in advance year end adjustment subject to approval from DLUHC.

5.3.    The Rough Sleeping team, within the Specialist Housing and Services Unit of Housing and Land, will manage these contracts and grants.

Powers to undertake the requested decisions
6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Mayor fall within the statutory powers of the GLA to promote and/or to do anything that is facilitative of, or conducive or incidental to, the promotion of social development in Greater London; and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
•    consult with appropriate bodies.
6.2.    In taking the decisions requested of him, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation) and persons who do not share it; and to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
    Funding and subsidy control
6.3.    Decisions 1 and 3, above, seek approval for the receipt of £1,159,311 and £144,535 funding from DLUHC and London Councils respectively.  Officers are reminded to ensure that the GLA comply with the conditions attached to the funding.
6.4.    Decisions 2a. and 2b, above, seek approve for the GLA to provide £323,946 grant funding to Crisis, £118,584 grant funding to St Mungo’s and £716,781 grant funding to London Councils.  In each case, the proposed grant funding may be viewed as a conditional gift rather than a contract for works, services or supplies. Section 12 of the Code provides that decisions to award grant funding should generally be made on the basis of the outcome of a transparent, competitive application process. Officers have explained at paragraphs 2.20 to 2.36 how they have met this requirement. Finally, officers are reminded to ensure that an appropriate funding agreement be put in place between the GLA and TTE before any part of the funding be paid.
6.5.    The Subsidy Control Act 2022 requires that grant funding comply with its subsidy control principles. Officers have set out at paragraphs 4.5 to 4.7 above how the proposed grants comply with those principles.
    Exercise of existing contractual options
6.6.    Regulation 72(1)(a) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 allows contracting authorities to modify contracts during their term, where the modifications have been provided for in the initial procurement documents, in clear, precise and unequivocal review clauses, including options. Decisions 4 and 5, above, seek approval for the exercise by the GLA of its existing contractual options in its contracts with Homeless Link and Thames Reach. Officers have explained at paragraphs 2.5 to 2.19 how they have met the requirement in regulation 72(1)(a). Officers are reminded to provide notice of the exercise of each option to the relevant service provider in accordance with the requirements of each contract.