Content

Salford City Council
– Record of Decision
 
I Councillor Youd, Lead Member for Finance and
Support Services and chairman of the Procurement Board, accept the
recommendation of the Procurement Board and in exercise of the
powers contained within the Council Constitution do hereby
approve:
 

the extension of Contract for The
Literacy Hub, as detailed in the table below:

 

Detail required

Answers

Contract
Reference
 (to be supplied by procurement)

S1711

Title/Description of
Contracted Service/Supply/Project

The Literacy Hub

Name
of Contractor

National Literacy Trust

Type of
organisation

(to be supplied by Procurement)

Registered Charity

Status of
Organisation

(to be supplied by CoProcurement)

SME

Value of Contract
Extension (£)

£245,000 per annum

Total value of
Awarded (including extension period)

£245,000 per annum, total value
£735,000

Existing Contract
Term

01/07/2024 to 30/06/2025

Extension Period

01/07/2025 to 30/06/2027

Contact Officer
(Name & number)

Cathy Starbuck

Lead Service
Group

Children's Services

Funding Source

Revenue Budget

Ethical Contractor
(EC): Mayor’s Employment Charter

Yes

EC: Committed to
sign the Mayor’s Employment Charter

Yes

EC: Committed to the
principles outlined in the Mayor’s Employment Charter

Yes

EC: Accredited
Living Wage Employer

Yes

EC: Committed to
becoming Accredited Living wage Employer

Yes

 
The reasons
are:
There is provision within the current contract
to extend the agreement for a further period from  01/07/2025 to 30/06/2027.
 
The development of the Literacy Hub with
National Literacy Trust is a key vehicle to ensure that literacy is
given a high profile in Salford and that the Literacy Strategy is
embedded fully, providing high quality training and development in
schools and settings and addressing issues of pupil confidence and
parental engagement.
 
Options considered
and rejected were:
The current contract includes an extension
clause, allowing for an extension of two years. This is the
preferred option.
 
Assessment of
risk:
AMBER – The risks of not completing this
element of the overall approach to literacy are significant as
improving literacy is a key recommendation from the
Children’s Scrutiny report. This work is an essential part of
embedding the Literacy Strategy and would be a key vehicle to
ensure that literacy is given a high profile in Salford.
 
The source of
funding is:
The Budget that will meet the cost of the
scheme: E2702.
 
Legal advice
obtained:
When commissioning contracts for the
procurement of goods, services or the execution of works, the
Council must comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015
(PCR) and its own Contractual Standing Orders (CSO’s),
failing which a contract may be subject to legal challenge from an
aggrieved provider.
 
It is an established principle that an
existing public contract is capable of being extended (or modified
providing any modification does not affect the overall nature of
the contract), and CSO’s also allow for contract extensions
to be made, where the parties agree and where the original contract
makes provision for such an extension of the original term.
 
When the contract was originally awarded last
year, it was clear that the original term would be subject to two
potential extensions of twelve months. Accordingly, any risk that
the extension would be subject to realistic challenge by an
aggrieved provider is extremely low, and the option to extend
within the contract is now being properly exercised.
 
Financial advice
obtained:
The City Council has agreed an investment of
£245k per year for three years to support the development of
a literacy hub. This budget amount has been allocated to the
children’s services budget and is on SAP cost centre
E2702.
 
Procurement advice
obtained:
The contract includes an extension clause,
allowing for an extension of two years. During this extension,
Procurement will work with Commissioning to support
re-commissioning as required, ensuring compliance and following a
suitable route to market.
 
HR advice obtained: N/A
 
Climate change implications obtained:
N/A
 
Contact details:
Contact Officer: Cathy Starbuck
Telephone number:
 
Please delete from the bullets below any which
are not relevant:

This matter is also subject to
consider by the Lead Member for Childrens.
The Lead Member has been consulted
and is supportive of the proposed contract.
This matter is not subject to
consideration by another Lead Member.

 
 
Signed:    Cllr J Youd 
       
Dated:    14 July
2025.
           
   Lead Member
 
 
 

This decision was published on 15 July 2025
This decision will come in force at 4pm on 22 July
2025 unless it is called-in in
accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.