Agenda and draft minutes

To consider the admission of any items of urgent business. New items of urgent business will be dealt with under Item 3 below.   

There were no items of urgent business.

(Report of the Interim Chief Operating Officer). The report seeks agreement to a waiver of tendering requirements, as allowed under Contract Standing Order 10.01.2(d), to permit the extension of nine contracts for housing related support to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) service users.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration considered a report, previously circulated, which sought agreement to the waiver of tendering requirements, as allowed under Contract Standing Order 10.01.2(d), to permit the extension of nine contracts for housing related support to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) service users.

The Head of Commissioned Services for Community Housing Services advised that there were performance issues with one of the providers and in light of this it was proposed that 3.2 of the recommendation outlined in the report should be amended as follows:

‘Approves the extension of nine contracts to current providers in the BME Sector for two years at the current values, subject to performance considerations’.

RESOLVED:

      i.        That approval be given to the waiver of tendering requirements of Contract Standing Order (CSO) 10.01.2(d) on the grounds that it was in the Council’s overall interest; and

    ii.        That approval be given to the extension of nine contracts to current providers in the BME Sector for two years at the current values, subject to performance considerations.

Alternative options considered

A tender process was considered but it was concluded that it would be likely to lead to an increase in the cost of BME contracts without a corresponding improvement in service delivery and quality.

The factors considered that influenced commissioning and procurement options are set out in Section 6 of the report.

Reasons for decision

The tendering of the specified contracts that have expired is unlikely to provide better value for money or improvements.

Re-letting of the contracts will give officers sufficient time to conclude consultation with service users and stakeholders, and to pursue the options necessary to remodel the service. 

To consider any new items of urgent business admitted under Item 1 above.

There are no new items of urgent business.