Decision Maker:

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: January 12, 2026

Purpose:

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:   ·     to go out to competition to appoint a specialist and culturally appropriate provider to deliver an Information, Advice and Guidance service to support Jewish residents living in Salford, Bury and Manchester to access sustainable and quality employment.   The Reasons are: Historically, Jewish communities in Salford, Bury and Manchester are not confident in accessing opportunities independently and are often worried about their individual and cultural needs being misunderstood. As such residents rely on trusted community-based organisations to provide initial advice and advocacy to help them navigate the mainstream system as well as sense checking opportunities outside of the community to ensure they suitable, including training and employment opportunities.   To help overcome these cultural barriers, a targeted and specialist service is required to help residents respond to challenges and opportunities, including dedicated support to ensure residents are better off during the cost-of-living crisis, as well as advocacy to ensure employers and training providers understand and can accommodate individual needs. Additionally, support to ensure residents are able to capitalise on current and future regeneration and growth in the sub region, including employment opportunities which commonly rest outside of Jewish communities.   As part of the current Skills and Work commissioning programme, the Council, on behalf of Bury and Manchester Councils,  went out to competition and appointed the incumbent provider, The Jewel Foundation to provide a cross boundary Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) service to support Jewish residents living in Salford, Bury and Manchester to access sustainable and quality employment. The current service commenced in July 2023 and is due to end in June 2026.   All three LAs are committed in principle to continue to co-invest in a new joint cross boundary IAG service to commence from 1 July 2026. Salford have offered to lead the procurement exercise on behalf of Bury and Manchester, and subject to the necessary approvals we aim to conduct a competitive tendering process in January 2026.   The proposed contract will be for two years, running from 1st July 2026 to 30th June 2028, at a total cost of £135,000. An optional one-year extension may be offered, subject to funding and satisfactory performance, from 1st July 2028. The total Salford City Council contribution will be £60,000, plus an optional, £30,000 to contribute to the one-year extension.   The service will support a minimum of 450 employed and unemployed residents annually across all three LA areas per year. There is no specific allocation per LA, but the service delivery will be closely monitored and reviewed to ensure engagement and support reflects the level of need and investment for each LA. We would expect to see service delivery volumes across the 3 LAs to be proportionate to the level of investment i.e. Salford are investing 44% of the total amount of funding (£30k of £67.5k total pa) so we would expect the same level of service delivery in the city.   We are in the process of reviewing current service priorities, and provisional arrangements are in place to refresh the exiting service specification to continue with a co-commissioned cross boundary approach to providing residents with IAG support.   The report seeks approval to go out to competitive tender to appoint a specialist and culturally appropriate provider to deliver an Information, Advice and Guidance service to support Jewish residents living in Salford, Bury and Manchester to access sustainable and quality employment.   It is proposed to go out to the market in January 2026 with a deadline for submissions of February 2026. Following assessment and moderation, approval to appoint a provider for the new service will be sought in March 2026, with a scheduled ‘go live’ service date of 1st July 2026.   Options considered and rejected were: Delivering the service in-house was considered and rejected. This is specialist service requiring specific experience and expertise. As mentioned, the community are not confident in accessing opportunities independently and are often worried about their individual and culture needs being misunderstood. As such residents rely on trusted community-based organisations for support.   Delivering the service in-house across three LAs would not be the most cost effective or efficient method of delivery for Salford, Bury or Manchester. The preferred option therefore is to go out to open competition to identify suitability qualified providers to deliver a quality service and outcomes for residents.   Assessment of Risk: Risks associated with the Skills and Work commissioned programme: ·     Services will be tendered with indicative budgets, subject to formal approval of the Council budget in the New Year. ·     Delays in the commissioning and award of a new contract could potentially create a gap in service provision.   The source of funding is: Core Skills and Work Budget A0631 (£20,000), and contribution from F0004 (£10,000).   Legal Advice obtained: Yes – supplied by Tony Hatton, Principal Solicitor.   Financial Advice obtained: Yes – supplied by Luba Velychko, Accountant, Place.   Procurement Advice obtained: Yes – supplied by Emma Heyes, Category Manager.   HR Advice obtained: N/A.   Climate Change Implications obtained: Yes – supplied by Mike Hemmingway, Environment Policy Team.   The following documents have been used to assist the decision process: ·     Approval to award a contract to provide an Information, Advice & Guidance Service to support Jewish residents’ living in Salford, Bury and Manchester – Report to the Executive Director for Children’s Services on 13th April 2023. ·     Approval to award a contract to provide an Information, Advice & Guidance Service to support Jewish residents’ living in Salford, Bury and Manchester – Report to the Lead Member for Children and Young People’s Services and the Executive Support Member for Skills, Work and Business on 20th April 2023. ·     Approval to award a contract to provide an Information, Advice & Guidance Service to support Jewish residents’ living in Salford, Bury and Manchester – Report of the Executive Director of Children’s services and the Executive Director of Place to Procurement Board on 10th May 2023. ·     Executive Director of Place – Delegated Decision Notice (DDN) to approve the extension of Contract for the IAG Service to support Jewish residents living in Salford, Bury and Manchester on 7th May 2025. ·     The Jewel Foundation Social Value Report - Year 1 (July 2023 – June 2024) ·     The Jewel Foundation Social Value Report - Year 1 (July 2024 – June 2025) ·     Approval to go out to competition to appoint a provider to deliver an Information, Advice & Guidance Service to support Jewish residents’ living in Salford, Bury and Manchester – Report of the Director of Skills, Work and Inclusive Economy to the Executive Director for Place on 27th November 2025. ·     Approval to go out to competition to appoint a provider to deliver an Information, Advice & Guidance Service to support Jewish residents’ living in Salford, Bury and Manchester – Report of the Executive Director for Place to the Lead Member for Skills & Work and Business Support Services on 17th December 2025.   Contact Officers: ·     Dave Timperley, Skills and Work Commissioning Manager: 0161 793 2533. ·     Alison Burnett, Head of Skills and Work: 0161 793 2535.   ·     Lead Member for Skills & Work and Business Support Services has been consulted and is supportive of the proposed contract. ·     The appropriate Scrutiny Committee to call-in the decision is Growth and Prosperity.   Signed:   Cllr J Youd          Dated:   12 January 2026.             Lead Member   FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE ONLY:   *         This decision was published on 13 January 2026. *         This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 20 January 2026 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.