Decision

 RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

a. Approved West Northamptonshire Council continuing to participate in the existing OPUS People Solutions (East) Limited arrangement for a further five-year period from January 2027 (with early termination provisions). 

b. Authorised the Corporate Director - Workforce, Technology and Change, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer, Chief Finance Officer and Cabinet Member for HR, Corporate and Regulatory Services, to negotiate and finalise the necessary updates to the shareholder agreement, service agreement, terms of reference and any associated governance documents. 

c. Noted the outcome of the legal and procurement review which indicates that the current arrangement is capable of continuing under an exemption available under the Procurement Act 2023, subject to the continued satisfaction of the relevant statutory conditions and final review of the updated governance documentation. 

d. Agreed that the updated documentation may include an optional horizontal access arrangement beneath the core arrangement, provided that this is supported by legal and procurement advice, does not reduce West Northamptonshire Council’s governance rights as a shareholder, and does not create unacceptable financial, operational or reputational risk.

REASON RESOLVED: 

1)     To support continuity of a service that the Council already uses to manage temporary and agency resourcing.

2)     The proposed approach also supports value for money, workforce resilience and compliance.

3)     The optional horizontal access arrangement would not replace the core arrangement. 

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

1)     End participation and undertake a separate procurement route for these services.

2)     Continue the existing arrangement and also include an optional horizontal arrangement.