Decision details
TO EXTEND EAST MIDLANDS CHAMBER CONTRACT FOR PROVIDING SHIREBROOK BUSINESS FORUM CO-ORDINATOR
Decision Maker: Head of Leader's Executive and Partnerships
Decision status: Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Decision:
To extend the East Midlands Chamber contract
for providing Shirebrook Business Forum Co-ordinator.
This enables the Council to extend an existing contract if it would
not be in the interests of the service or the Council to tender the
contract.
Reasons for the decision:
East Midlands Chamber has been contracted by
the Council to provide the Shirebrook Business Forum Co-ordinator
since 1st August 2019. The contract currently finishes at the end
on April 2020
The Building Resilience Programme has sufficient funding to allow
the Council to extend the Shirebrook Business Forum Co-ordinator
contract for a further day a month for 5 months. This has been
requested by the chair of the Shirebrook Business Forum who asked
for an extension
on 09/03/2020 stating that “Although these gains are great,
the forum is not fully established and is still at risk of collapse
without the correct investment. We would very much appreciate an
extension of six months, one day per month of Nick’s time to
ensure the groups longevity and success. Please may we have a
conversation to see how we may extend Nicks time with
us”
The Business Forum Co-ordinator has overcome barriers and built
trust amongst business owners; in a small community, personal trust
based on shared experiences is key for cooperation.
An extension to contract will increase the potential for the Forum
to be sustainable. Relevant fact is that the extension covers only
12% of time arranged in original contract (1 day a month now
required against 2 days a week). That shows that the emerging Forum
is already able to work, manage tasks and need only a small element
of co-ordination.
As a result it is considered that the Shirebrook Business Forum
Co-ordinator contract should be extended, using existing external
resources secured through the
Alternative options considered:
To follow the procurement rules by seeking
three written quotes.
It would not be in the interests of the service to seek appoint
anyone other than existing post holder.
To do nothing – this is an option and has been considered,
however the request to extend support from the Co-ordinator has
come directly from the businesses themselves who see continued
input, albeit on a much reduced scale, being crucial in continuing
the good work and outcomes already achieved.
Declarations: None
Contact: Pam Brown, Service Director Executive, Corporate Services and Partnerships Email: Pam.Brown@bolsover.gov.uk.
Publication date: 02/03/2021
Date of decision: 10/03/2020
Accompanying Documents: