The Hackney Procurement Board was scheduled to discuss several key procurement decisions, including the re-commissioning of the London Accommodation Pathfinder, vehicle removals and car pound services, and a contract for Public Space Surveillance and Optical Fibre Cable Installation and Maintenance. The Board was also set to review its timetable for the remainder of the 2025-2026 period.

London Accommodation Pathfinder Re-commissioning

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the re-commissioning of the London Accommodation Pathfinder (LAP) project. This service is designed to provide accommodation and support for boys aged 16 and 17 who might otherwise be placed in secure training centres or youth offending institutions. The project aims to reduce the over-representation of young people, particularly those from Black and Global Majority backgrounds, in custody. The report outlined a proposal for Hackney's participation in a re-procurement of the LAP block contract, led by the London Borough of Camden. Hackney's total contribution would be a maximum of £1.3 million over a five-year period, securing access to five places in the North London Home. The report detailed the project's alignment with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Council's legal obligations under the Children Act 1989 and 2004. It also highlighted the Mayor's priorities of tackling inequality and ensuring accountability. The preferred option was to recommission the LAP through a competitive procurement process, with Camden as the lead authority. Alternative options, including external commission by Hackney or developing an in-house offer, were rejected due to viability concerns and the pan-London nature of the demand. The report also detailed the project's benefits realisation, lessons learned from the current contract, and strategic context, including its support for the Mayor's priorities. Key performance indicators and social value benefits were also outlined.

Vehicle Removals and Car Pound Services

The Board was scheduled to discuss the commencement of a competitive procurement process for Vehicle Removals and Car Pound Services. This contract is essential for the Council's ability to manage abandoned, nuisance, illegally parked, and untaxed vehicles, and plays a significant role in tackling blue badge fraud and misuse. The proposed procurement follows an approved capital bid to repurpose the Bentley Road Car Park into a dedicated car pound, aiming to deliver long-term operational efficiencies and improve the effectiveness of vehicle removal and enforcement operations. The contract was anticipated to be structured into two lots: Lot 1 for Car Pound Setup and Operation, and Lot 2 for Vehicle Removal and Scrapping Services. The proposed contracts were for an initial five-year period with options to extend for a further maximum of five years. The business case highlighted the statutory duties empowering the council to remove vehicles under various legislative frameworks, including the Traffic Management Act 2004 and the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. The preferred option was to establish a car pound at Bentley Road Car Park, offering operational and strategic advantages. Alternative options, including doing nothing, retaining the current outsourced model, or a single contract procurement, were considered and rejected. Insourcing was also deemed not viable at this stage due to specialist knowledge and operational constraints.

PSS & Optical Fibre Cable Installation and Maintenance Contract

The Board was set to consider the procurement strategy for a new maintenance contract for the Public Space Surveillance (PSS) and optical fibre cable network, as the current contract expires in April 2027. This contract would cover the maintenance and expansion of over 3,000 CCTV cameras and the optical fibre network. The report noted that the CCTV system maintenance was previously split but had been managed under a single contract since October 2018. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were in place to monitor the current contractor's performance. Five options for the new contract procurement were outlined, with a preferred option being a single contract package for all clients using an open tender process to maximise value and efficiency. Other options considered included an insurance-style contract, two separate contracts, insourcing, and using an existing open framework, all of which were found to be less beneficial. During discussions, points were raised regarding the inclusion of clear, quantified, and contractually monitored commitments, the importance of engaging with teams to define mandatory requirements and social value commitments, and concerns about a disparity in cost analysis between insourcing and outsourcing. Due to the cost disparity, the Chair decided to defer the report to allow time for the insourcing figures and justification to be reworked.

Hackney Procurement Board Timetable

The Board was also scheduled to review its timetable for the remainder of the 2025-2026 period, with the next meeting noted for 10 March 2026.