A £65million contract to deliver homecare services in Havering has been agreed.

Havering Council's new cabinet approved 15 providers to the new Homecare Light Touch framework at a meeting on July 6.

All selected via a procurement process, the group will form the framework and deliver homecare services throughout the borough for the next four years.

The new system will replace the Active Homecare Framework, which consisted of 14 providers and is due to expire on July 31.

According to council documents, the Homecare Light Touch framework will reduce the burden of continuously evaluating new applications, and enable the local authority to source new providers when it sees fit.

Its total projected cost over four years is £64,972,944 based on estimated homecare expenditure of £16,243,236 for 2022/23.

At the cabinet meeting, the importance of ensuring a quality homecare service to residents was emphasised.

Cllr Gillian Ford, deputy council leader and cabinet member for adults and health, said: “I think everyone in this room will agree that homecare is a critical service for supporting residents to stay in their own homes.”

Cllr Martin Goode added that he “welcomes any advancements to the current care".

"It is very important for residents to stay in their surroundings.”