Decision

To enter into a consultancy agreement with Local Government East, at an estimated project value of £96,050, for specialist asset management support delivered through Local Government East’s Talent Bank.

Reasons for the decision

The Council requires additional specialist capacity to progress asset management and Community Asset Transfer work alongside existing service demands and LGR preparation. Commissioning this support will help reduce the risk of delay or incomplete transition planning.

Alternative options considered

The alternatives considered were to seek support from a private sector provider, resource the work in-house, or defer the appointment. A private sector appointment would require additional procurement activity and may not provide the same level of local government knowledge or value for money. Resourcing the work in-house is not considered feasible given current capacity and wider LGR demands.

Deferral is not recommended because the work is required now to support LGR preparation and transition planning.

Commissioning through Local Government East is considered the most proportionate option, securing specialist expertise within the recorded officer decision-making framework, Cabinet’s aforementioned funding delegation and the public-to-public/Teckal procurement exemption route available through the Talent Bank.