Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Customers and Community, (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Customers and Community seeking Members’ approval to extend the existing Advice Services contract with Maldon Citizens Advice (MCA) for a further 12 months to 31 March 2020.

The report provided background information which led to MCA being awarded a three year contract for the provision of an Advice Services from April 2016.  It was noted that the contract had been successful and resulted in an improved service, with extended opening hours, a higher volume of customers receiving assistance and MCA securing increased levels of external funding. 

The current contract was due to expire in March 2019 and the intention was to recommission the service for a further three years.  Members were advised that due to budgetary pressures, the Future Model project work and the need to carefully review all areas of expenditure on discretionary services Officers were proposing that the contract be extended for 12 months during which time all areas of consideration would be investigated.  The report set out the advantages and risks in relation to this approach.

The Director of Customers and Community advised that the Community Services Committee would be reviewing the performance of the service at its next meeting.

Councillor A S Fluker proposed that recommendation (i) b) be amended to read “…Planning process and the transformation programme”.  This proposal was agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)              That the existing contract with Maldon Citizens Advice for the provision of an Advice Service be extended for a further 12 months (to 31 March 2020) subject to the following conditions:

a)           that the contract  extension will be on the same terms as the current contract;

b)          that any decision to fund an Advice Service, and the levels of funding will be considered by Members as part of the 2019-20 Strategic Financial Planning process and the transformation programme;

c)           that following the decisions at (b) above a report will be brought to a future meeting of the Community Services Committee to determine the details of a future procurement process, including the contract specification, timetable, and period of contract.

(ii)            That a procurement exemption for the value of £73,500 under Section 1 paragraph 3 of the Contracts Procedure Rules 2017, be agreed.