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To approve a variation to the Council’s
contract with Hustle & Heels Ltd, to deliver additional
business support services and outputs for an additional
£40,000, in accordance with Contract Standing Orders (CSO)
10.02 (a).

Reasons for the decision

• The programme delivery partner (Hustle
& Heels, H &H) has delivered the contracted business
support services and outputs for strands 2 and 3 of the existing
contract - namely “business support for small businesses that
are struggling” and “support for new start-ups”
respectively.

• H&H are, therefore, not taking on new enquiries or
applications for business support under these two strands. However,
there is ongoing high demand for support from these strands. The
scale of demand for these strands is such that H&H has started
to compile a waiting list of small businesses and local residents
wanting to receive support.

• The Haringey Business Support Programme is currently the
only programme of its kind in the borough. Without the variation,
there will be no programme providing intensive, face-to-face 1:1
business support advice and support for micro/small businesses, who
are struggling and for residents wanting to start up their own
businesses.

• A delegated decision is, therefore, required to extend the
Council’s Business Support contract with H & H to help
address this significant demand- by delivering additional business
support services and outputs. This will include the provision
practical 1:1 business advice and support to 50 small businesses-
to help them manage through business difficulties, develop, and
safeguard jobs as well as local residents wanting to start up their
own businesses.

• In addition, to helping address the significant demand from
local small businesses and potential entrepreneurs- the contract
variation will enable the Council to utilise a forecast
£40,000 underspend from the SIP2 Business Support &
Workspace programme. This Government funded programme needs to be
spent by 31 March 2025 - otherwise the Council will lose the grant
funding.

• Finally, the contract variation will build on the success of
the existing contract, which to date, has delivered a range of
business support and advice to 96 businesses- including to
struggling small businesses, growth potential businesses and
residents wanting to start up new businesses.

Alternative options considered

The following alternative options were
considered:

(i) Do Nothing
This option was rejected because it would have resulted in the
Council losing external grant funding to provide much needed 1:1
business support and advice to micro/small businesses, who are
struggling and support for residents wanting to start up their own
businesses.

(ii) Re-commission the provider of the existing contract by
extending the contract.
This option was selected for the following reasons:
• The Council procured the contract with Hustle & Heels
through a competitive tender process.
• H&H has successfully delivered the contract and exceeded
some of their contracted outputs. By extending the contract, it
will build on the success of the existing contract and ensure
continuation of business support provision in the borough-
delivered by a business support organisation with a proven
experience and track record of successfully delivering the current
business support service and contracted outputs.
• It will ensure the continuous use of exist infrastructure,
systems, and procedures (including marketing & promotion,
branding, business/client recruitment &selection processes,
monitoring, and output recording systems) – developed by the
current provider working with the Council’s Inclusive Economy
Team.
• The variation will ensure the forecast 40k SIP underspend is
utilised, in time, for activities that benefit local businesses and
economy – instead of the Council losing the Government
funding for not spending the grant by the 31 March 2025
deadline.