Officer Decisions

Date of Decision:

20 September 2021

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Anne Marie Lubanski

Strategic Director

Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Specific Delegation:

(If any)

Approval of a request for an exemption to Finance and Procurement Procedure Rules (FPPRs) related to Section 50 of FPPR’s. Exemption 50.2.6 provides that a particular contract can be exempted from the requirement to tender.

Brief Description of Decision: 

Approval of the requested exemption, for the reasons provided by the commissioning service.

Reasons for the Decision:

On 16 August 2021 Cabinet considered and approved investment of £600,000 into Homelessness Services for move-on accommodation and essential support services. This was in the context of decision making on the use of the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) to aid the Council’s on-going response to Covid-19 and to support economic recovery in the borough from the impacts of the pandemic.  Please click here to view the agenda item:

The funding allocated must be spent by March 2022, which presented a level of urgency. 

The funding is to support the purchase of additional specialist support service capacity to support up to 50 households with complex needs, who are in temporary accommodation/hotels or move on accommodation, to help them journey to more suitable and sustainable accommodation, freeing up temporary accommodation capacity.

Due to funding timescales, proposals needed to be worked up quickly. The Council has engaged with a trusted provider, who has a wealth of experience in this service provision and who have advised that they can respond immediately to mobilise this service offer within the required deadline.     

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

The exemption request detailed the reasons why it is not felt to be appropriate to tender for the specified service at this time and demonstrates how this approach represents best value for the Council.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Executive Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None.

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

None.

Background papers

Please click here to view the Cabinet agenda item

Date of Decision:

22 September 2021

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Assistant Chief Executive

Specific Delegation:

(If any)

Nonspecific

Brief Description of Decision:

1.    That the approved budget of £100,000 for the Food Resilience Project be allocated to in order to enable:

the employment of a Food Sustainability Development Officer for one year.

and

that the associated revenue funding be used enable the development of two to three sustainable social supermarkets and the associated activity working in partnership with Food in Crisis Partnership and VCS partners.

2.    That the grant support that will be made available will be provided through invitations to bid in accordance with the Council’s standing orders.

Reasons for the Decision:

As part of the Council’s budget setting process for 2021/22, approval was given to a £100,000 investment allocation to develop further approaches to supporting people in crisis and tackling food poverty. This decision enables the use of the allocated budget that has been made available.

Details of the original budget allocation approved by Cabinet on 15 February 2021 can be view here.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

The alternative option of not utilising the allocated budget was not recommended as it would not further the Council’s commitment to supporting people in crisis and in tackling food poverty.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Executive Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

None

Reports or parts of reports considered

Briefing paper - Food Resilience Development – 22 September 2021.

Date of Decision:

7 September 2021

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Paul Woodcock. Strategic Director, Regeneration & Environment

Specific Delegation:

(If any)

Nonspecific

Brief Description of Decision:

1.    That the Digital Autopsy Service be implemented on a permanent basis following cessation of the existing pilot.

2.    That Doncaster Council, on Rotherham MBC’s behalf, start the new arrangements as part of their contract with iGene without a break in service at the close of the pilot.

Reasons for the Decision:

To enable the continuation of the Digital Autopsy Service.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

The alternative option of not continuing with the Digital Autopsy Service was not recommended.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Executive Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

N/A

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

N/A

Reports or parts of reports considered

The report of the Strategic Director – Regeneration and Environment - Digital Autopsy Service