Agenda item

Background:

This report sought permission to commence the procurement for the operation and administration of Medway’s Local Welfare Provision Scheme from 1 July 2013 for a 21 month period, with potential for extension subject to funding.

It was noted that as part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, the Discretionary Social Fund scheme administered by the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) had been abolished.  The responsibility for part of this discretionary scheme had been transferred to local authorities to develop Local Welfare Provision Schemes.

This Gateway 1 report had been approved for submission to the Cabinet for review and approval by the Children and Adult Management Team and the Procurement Board. 

It was reported that the Children and Adults Directorate Management Team had recommended that this procurement project be approved as a Category B High Risk procurement project at Procurement Gateway 1 by Cabinet.  This was because although this procurement project was a Services Category B High Risk procurement with a total contract value above £250,000, there were political implications and/or service sensitivities that Cabinet should be aware of.

An exempt appendix set out key information in respect of finance and whole-life costings.

The Cabinet agreed that this report and the decisions set out below were urgent and should therefore not be subject to call-in. In line with rule 16.11 of Chapter 4, Part 5 of the Constitution, call-in can be waived where any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interests. The Cabinet agreed to accept this as an urgent item because the service must be procured in accordance with EU Procurement Regulations and be in place for 1 July 2013. 

It was noted that the Chairman of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committeehad agreed that the decisions proposed were reasonable in all the circumstances and to them being treated as a matter of urgency and to waive call-in. This was because the Council took on the responsibility of part of the Discretionary Social fund from 1 April 2013. The interim arrangement of 3 months allows for sufficient time for the Council to procure the longer-term contract. The value of this longer-term procurement requirement is above the EU Procurement Threshold for Services of £173,934 and in order to procure the service for the required date of 1 July 2013, the procurement process must commence in April 2013.

Reasons:

As part of the Welfare Reforms, limited Central Government funding has been made available to provide a Local Welfare Provision Scheme.

Although this funding has not been ring-fenced, the Council has an obligation to support vulnerable local people in an emergency or crisis situation.

This service provision links directly into the Medway Council Plan and will deliver against the Council’s Strategic Priorities:

·        Children and young people having the best start in life in Medway Council

·        Adults maintaining their independence and live healthy lives.