Issue - meetings

Award of Contract: Community Equipment Service

 

 

Meeting: 24/07/2025 - CABINET (Item 11)

Award of Contract: Community Equipment Service

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That:

 

  1. The situation with the current contract and the need to ensure continuity of the community equipment service to keep residents safe in their own homes, be noted;

 

  1. The direct award of a contract to Medequip Assistive Technology Limited for the provision of an integrated community equipment service to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a period of two years from 1st August 2025 be agreed, subject to the financial details being finalised by the Corporate Director for Adult Social Care and Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care;

 

  1. Delegated authority to the Corporate Director for Adult Social Care and Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, be granted to make any further decisions required on this matter to safeguard residents, including authority to extend any contractual arrangements for one additional year and;

 

  1. The waiver of the scrutiny call-in period for this matter be requested, so Cabinet’s decisions can take immediate effect to enable safe continuity of service.

 

Reasons for decision

 

The Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care introduced a report and moved recommendations, which Cabinet agreed, to progress with the award of an urgent contract for community equipment following the cessation of trading of the current provider. The Cabinet Member advised that this would ensure vital service continuity and a seamless transfer for residents and that it was a matter affecting a number of other local authorities.

 

Alternative options considered and rejected

 

Cabinet considered there a lack of viable alternatives suppliers given market conditions, which the Leader of the Council agreed need to be addressed.

 

Relevant Select Committee

Health & Social Care

Expiry date for any scrutiny call-in / date decision can be implemented (if no call-in)

This decision comes into immediate effect. The Chair of the Select Committee exceptionally agreed to waive the scrutiny call-in period given that the decisions requested were reasonable and urgent.

Officer(s) to action

Jan Major / Gary Collier

Directorate

Adult Social care and Health

Classification

Private - Whilst the Cabinet's decisions above are always made public, the officer report relating to this matter is not because it was considered in the private part of the meeting and contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it in accordance with Section 100(A) and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

 

Urgency provisions – The Chair agreed the report relating to this decision as an urgent item. This decision was taken under special urgency provisions in accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.