The Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee (CPIC) met to discuss contract awards, extensions, and procurement strategies for various council services. Decisions were made regarding sexual health services, family time services for looked after children, security services, library repairs, and a construction contractors framework.

Clinical Sexual Health Services Contract

The committee agreed to extend the current contract with Homerton Healthcare Foundation Trust for Clinical Sexual Health Services from 1 August 2025 to 31 March 2026, at a value of £2,533,333, with an option to extend for up to a further year at a value of £3,800,000 per annum. They also agreed to extend the contract for the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) in-reach and out-reach nurse, originally awarded as a variation to the Clinical Sexual Health Services contract, from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, at a value of £87,793 per annum.

The report AHI S463 CPIC Sexual Health Core Contract Extension .docx noted that the initial plan to re-commission the clinical Sexual Health Service using Direct Award C from 1 August 2026 was dependent on the publication of the London Sexual Health Service Specification, which has been delayed. Concerns were also raised about the financial sustainability of the current service model. The contract extension will allow for service redesign work to take place, ensuring the service model meets the needs of the population while also ensuring financial sustainability. The extension also allows for the London Sexual Health Programme London wide open book exercise work programme which will assist in providing reference costs to compare the Homerton’s current costs and ensure that local service models are based on the best possible information.

The SRH Nurse provision improves access to sexual and reproductive health services for young residents in both Hackney and the City of London by:

• identifying and establishing new locations to provide clinical services to young residents aged 11-18 or up to 24 with particular vulnerabilities
• supporting the Super Youth Hub pilot ‘HealthSpot’ by the provision of clinical ‘in-reach and ‘out-reach’ services at youth locations.
• Improving the pathways between schools, colleges and other youth settings into clinical services.
• Contributing to the development and/or delivery of Sex and Relationship Education (RSE) in education settings by adaptation of resources, training for school staff, direct delivery, and/or capacity building within the Young Hackney Health and Wellbeing team.

The report AHI S463 CPIC Sexual Health Core Contract Extension .docx stated that Hackney and the City of London continue to have very high levels of need for sexual health services as evidenced by high rates of STIs and unwanted pregnancies. This is due to a combination of local demographics including a young population, larger proportion of global majority communities and a relatively large population of men who have sex with men who have higher recorded sexual health needs, higher incidence of STIs and high uptake of services at sexual health clinics.

The decision aligns with the Hackney Labour 2022-26 manifesto ambition to continue to be partners in the London Sexual Health Programme, offering face-to-face and digital services, home testing kits, and promoting the take-up of PrEP in the work towards no new HIV infections by 2030.

Family Time Services for Looked After Children

The committee approved the award of a contract for the Provision of Family Time Services for Looked After Children, to Provider C, for a maximum period of five years (3+1+1 years) at a cost of up to £3,333,989.

The CE S464 Family Time Services CPIC Contract Award Report stated that Hackney Council has a statutory duty to ensure that Looked After Children see their parents, former carers and members of their extended family as long as it is in their best interest to do so and a stand alone Family Time service is required as nearly all supervised Family Time for school age children needs to take place outside of school hours including at weekends.

The current contract began on 1 October 2020 and was due to expire on 31 August 2025, but the original provider went into administration¹ on 19 October 2023, which brought forward the re-procurement of this service. The new contract service provision will be expected to deliver a minimum of 14,500 hours per annum, with the majority of the service delivered from the Ferncliff Centre, with a small amount held out of the borough if that is appropriate for the child.

The report CE S464 Family Time Services CPIC Contract Award Report stated that the provider will work with the Hackney Children’s Services management team to ensure that demand is met, quality remains high and that contact is managed in the best interests of children.

The committee considered and rejected the options of doing nothing, procuring a framework agreement, and insourcing the service. Insourcing was rejected because it would increase costs and management time, and because an in-house service also lacks the independence of an external provider which can be beneficial when cases are considered in court and evidence around contact is required.

Security Services Contract

The committee approved a one-year extension of the present call-off contract pertaining to Lots A, B & C from 3 August 2025, to allow time to re-procure the services. They also approved the preferred procurement strategy for Lot A, Corporate Site Security Services, through a closed framework agreement in conjunction with Lots B and C. The committee noted that the Procurement Strategy for Lot A includes bringing the Meet and Greet role for corporate buildings and various ceremonial duties back in house to be delivered by the Facilities Management and Customer Operations Team.

The current security framework contract covers the council’s regular and reactive security requirements and concierge services for Hackney corporate sites and residential blocks. The contract with CIS Security Limited (CISSL) commenced on 4 August 2018, ran for four years, and was extended for 12 months until 3 August 2023. It was further extended for 24 months until 25 July 2025 by approval of CPIC in August 2023.

The current security framework comprises three service lots:

• Lot A: Civic buildings security including guarding (front of house), key holding and alarm response
• Lot B: Vacant premises & Estate security
• Lot C: Residential concierge service

The report F S469 Final CPIC Business Case Lot A - Hackney Security Contract 2025 1 stated that the contract was extended to allow for a detailed review of the Council’s Security Provision using external consultants, to comprehensively interrogate the current security service and thoroughly test the viability of insourcing.

The report F S469 Final CPIC Business Case Lot A - Hackney Security Contract 2025 1 also noted legal complexities and issues around the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA 2001).

The committee considered and rejected the option of full insourcing of Lot A, as it would cost considerably more than tendering for a replacement outsourced service over the four-year period. Further Insourcing would bring additional risks and complications that would add additional indirect costs to other services which are suffering their own pressures at this time.

Stoke Newington Library External Remedial Works

The committee approved the appointment of Supplier A to deliver the contract for the Stoke Newington Library External Remedial Works Project, which includes repair and improvement works to the roof, windows, brickwork and masonry of the library building.

Stoke Newington Library is a Grade 2 Listed building located on Church Street in the heart of Stoke Newington. First built in 1892 the library is considered to be an excellent example of a late Victorian public library. The library was closed to the public in March 2024 because areas of the roof had collapsed and the windows and masonry had fallen into such a poor state of repair that the building was no longer safe.

The F S474 Stoke Newington Library CPIC Contract Award Report stated that the project will repair the damage to the building’s fabric, ensuring that it will remain in sustainably good condition in future years. This project forms part of the Mayor’s manifesto commitment to invest in the future of Hackney’s libraries, including refurbishment of libraries where necessary.

The committee considered and rejected the options of doing nothing, procurement via framework, open competition, and insourcing.

Asset Management Delivery Framework for Construction Contractors

The committee approved the award of the Asset Management Delivery Construction Contractors Framework Agreement to support the delivery of the Council’s Asset Management Delivery Capital programme to the following bidders:

• Lot 1 - Mechanical: Bidders A, B, C, D
• Lot 2 - Electrical: Bidders L, A, B, M
• Lot 3 - Fabric: Bidders A, R, E, I

The F S485 Asset Management Delivery Framework for Construction Contractors Contract Award Report stated that the Asset Management Delivery (AMD) team executes and delivers a high level of non-housing capital investment program works. In order to make efficient use of officers' time in seeking and procuring contractors, an efficient route to the market needed to be established. Having a professional contractor’s framework will help to save money, provide access to a quality - tested list, and speed up the procurement process while ensuring the process is compliant and the council receives value for money.

The committee considered and rejected the options of insourcing all or part of the works required, utilising existing contractors’ frameworks, and procuring contractors via conventional tender routes.

The report F S485 Asset Management Delivery Framework for Construction Contractors Contract Award Report stated that the framework will mostly consist of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that can be regularly used by LBH AMD if and when required.

Actions Tracker

The committee reviewed the actions tracker Actions tracker 17.04.2025 and discussed progress on various items.