In a meeting held on 3 December 2025, Mohamed Hammoudan, Assistant Director of Resident Engagement & Participation, in consultation with Councillor Charlene McLean, Cabinet Member for Resident Engagement and Resident Experience, decided to award the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) Infrastructure Development contract for 2026-2027 to One Newham in partnership with Aston - Mansfield. The contract, valued at £189,377.59, aims to support and develop the VCFS in Newham. This decision was made under the council's scheme of delegation to officers, specifically regarding procurement decisions.

VCFS Infrastructure Development Contract Award

The main item discussed was the award of the VCFS Infrastructure Development contract for the period of January 2026 to December 2027. The council had put the contract out to tender on 11 August 2025, with a submission deadline of 17 September 2025. Two bids were received, one from One Newham in partnership with Aston Mansfield, and the other from Compost London CIC. Following an evaluation process, the panel recommended awarding the contract to One Newham in partnership with Aston - Mansfield, as they were considered to have submitted the most economically advantageous tender.

The decision was to approve the award of the VCFS Infrastructure Development contract to One Newham in partnership with Aston - Mansfield for the period January 2026 - December 2027 at a total value of £189,377.59. The council will pay all the money for the services to One Newham, and the services will be provided by both One Newham and Aston - Mansfield.

The VCFS plays a crucial role in Newham, particularly in tackling inequality and improving residents' wellbeing. The council has invested in VCFS infrastructure support since 2021, with Compost London CIC delivering the first major contract between 2021 and 2024. In early 2025, One Newham in partnership with Aston - Mansfield were commissioned to deliver three targeted projects, including creating a VCFS Digital Hub¹. The new contract builds on this previous work and incorporates feedback from the sector.

The contract focuses on five key delivery areas:

• Digital infrastructure and communications, maintaining and enhancing the VCFS Digital Hub.
• Capacity building and organisational development, tailored support for at least 60 organisations.
• Equity-focused support, targeted interventions for global majority-led² and faith-based organisations.
• Funding and inward investment, providing funding information and support to enable new investment into the borough's VCFS.
• Neighbourhood-based and thematic collaboration, embedding place-based working and supporting thematic networks.

The contract aligns with the council's Building a Fairer Newham strategy³ and its commitment to equity and place-based working. It aims to support the VCFS in delivering community wealth building⁴, health, happiness, and wellbeing aspirations.

Alternative options considered and rejected were:

• Doing nothing, which would leave the VCFS without dedicated infrastructure support.
• In-house delivery, which was rejected due to a lack of specialist capacity and sector expertise.

The council consulted with leading VCFS organisations, including One Newham, Aston-Mansfield, Compost London CIC, Compass Wellbeing, and CB Plus.

Financial and Legal Implications

The award of the contract is within the allocated budget of £200,000, funded from the Public Health Grant. The contract is expected to deliver long-term value by strengthening VCFS capacity.

The council has the power to procure the contract under the Local Government Act 1972 and the Localism Act 2011. The contract value is below the threshold stipulated in the Procurement Act 2023.