Council considering extending support service for vulnerable residents in response to predicted rise in demand

Members of Lincolnshire County Council’s adult care and public health scrutiny committee discussed a proposal to extend the Lincolnshire Independent Advocacy Services contract for a period of seven months with Voiceability – at a cost of £684,972.29.

The county council currently commissions the advocacy service to provide support for vulnerable children, young people, and adults and ensures that they can understand and participate in decisions that affect their lives.

The contract is currently due to expire on June 30, 2026, unless it is extended.

At a meeting on Wednesday, March 25, Rachel West, senior strategic contract manager, said: “The main focus on that work currently is accounting for a recent change of legislation notably the Mental Health Act in 2025, which recently received royal assent in December of last year.

“This legislative change places new rights and duties on the council and is likely to therefore result in an increased demand for advocacy services which we are currently modelling to make sure that is fully reflected in the new service going forward.

“A seven month extension would also enable a safe transition and implementation of those new arrangements and helpfully avoid us trying to mobilise a service on January 1 – which in the past we would try to avoid if we can to make sure it’s a safe transition.

“The current service is performing well, as it notes in the paper, they are currently over delivering in terms of the number of cases and hours of advocacy support.”

Coun Christopher Reeve (Reform UK – Scotter Rural) backed the proposal.

The proposal will be considered at an executive meeting on April 8 where a final decision will be made.