The Officer Key Decision meeting scheduled for Wednesday 29 July 2026 was set to discuss a contract award for stairlifts. The report pack indicated that a direct award of a call-off contract to Stannah for the supply, installation, and maintenance of stairlifts was proposed.

Contract Award - Stair Lifts

The meeting's agenda included a discussion regarding a proposed contract award for stairlifts. The report pack outlined a recommendation to direct award a 20-month call-off contract to Stannah, a specialist provider, via the Procurement for Housing (PfH) Assisted Living Solutions Framework Agreement. This proposed contract would cover the period from 1 August 2026 to 31 March 2028, with an estimated total value of £760,000.

Stairlifts are described as powered devices fitted to staircases that enable residents to remain in their own homes by providing safe access to upper floors, supporting independence and mobility. The report highlighted that the council's current contract with Stannah, which was due to end on 31 July 2026, required an interim arrangement due to delays in procuring a replacement agreement.

The report indicated that the PfH Assisted Living Solutions Framework was considered the most efficient and least disruptive solution, as it allows for a direct award to Stannah, ensuring continuity of service. This approach was also intended to align with the expiry dates of other home adaptation contractual arrangements and allow for a review of procurement strategies. The proposed contract award supports the council's priority of A healthier Newham and ageing well as outlined in the Building a Fairer Newham Corporate Plan.

The report also detailed financial implications, with the contract value to be met from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for council tenants and Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding for eligible private residents and Registered Social Landlord tenants. The DFG allocation for Newham in 2026/27 was £3.661m. The report noted that historic spend demonstrated increasing demand for stairlift provision, with £0.377m spent in 2025/26.

Legal implications were also addressed, referencing the Local Government Act 1972 and the Localism Act 2011. The report stated that the contract value was above the threshold for services under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), and that Regulation 33 of the PCR 2015 permits contracting authorities to award contracts based on a framework agreement. The report indicated that officers had followed the framework process for selecting a supplier via direct award.

The report also touched upon equalities implications, noting the Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, which requires due regard to eliminating discrimination, advancing equality of opportunity, and fostering good relations between those with and without protected characteristics. The procurement implications were also outlined, with the opinion that the proposed process was compliant with the PCR 2015 and the council's Contract Procedure Rules.

The decision maker for this matter was Fiona Connolly, Corporate Director for Adults and Health, in consultation with Councillor Susan Masters, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Environment. The report stated that key decisions made by officers could not be implemented until the sixth working day following the date of publication to allow members to consider calling in the decision.