Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: June 26, 2025

Purpose:

Content: That Council:   a)      Approves the draw down of the planned use of the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts to fund the one-off implementation costs of the procurement of £2.2m.   Reasons for Decision   a)      The original contracts for the existing Adult Social Care case management system expired on 31st March 2025. Interim contracts had been awarded to March 2027 to ensure continuity of service during the transition. Procuring a new system ensures that the council remains compliant with statutory requirements and avoids disruption to critical services.   b)     The new system configuration will help to streamline processes, reduce administrative burden, improve data management, and support better decision-making.   c)      A competitive procurement process via a compliant framework ensures that the council secures the best possible system at an optimal price. The recommended approach balances affordability with the need for a high-quality, fit for purpose solution, ensuring long term value for money   d)     A modern case management system enables the council to provide more responsive and efficient support to individuals, leading to improved care coordination, communication, and engagement.   e)      The proposed procurement aligns with the Council’s corporate plan, as well as the Adult social care strategy, reinforcing the ambition to deliver high quality, person-centred services.   f)        This procurement supports the Council’s wider goal of becoming a modern, innovative Council through the foundations of scalable technology and integrated service delivery.   Alternative Options Considered   a)      The ‘do nothing’ option was ruled out as the existing system contract expires in March 2027. Without a system in place, the council would be unable to access case management functions, leading to severe service disruptions, and non-compliance with statutory duties.   b)     The option to extend the current contract via a variation was also ruled out due to contract restrictions and legal risk under the public contract regulations 2015. To enable a planned implementation period for a new case management system, a direct award to the current suppliers was carried out via a procurement compliant process for a two-year period ending in March 2027. These contracts are now in place to enable service continuity, whilst also providing appropriate time for training, data migration and implementation of a new system. The timeline for this is shown within 6.1.   c)      A ‘bespoke system’ option was also rejected due to the high costs, lengthy development timelines, and the need for an increased ongoing maintenance.