Purpose

Additional short-term capacity is required to lead the commissioning programme for Greater Manchester Rehabilitation Services for People on Probation, including needs assessment, service design, market engagement and procurement support.

Following consultation with GMCA People Services, recruitment will proceed on a temporary basis through Reed, utilising GMCA's established partnership with this external agency. This approach is considered the most efficient method to secure the necessary capacity promptly and ensure we remain on track with the procurement timeline, which requires strict compliance. Any delay in recruitment could jeopardise timely delivery of key commissioning activities and risk non-compliance with procurement requirements. Any longer-term arrangement would require GMCA Resource Committee approval and a supporting business case, which would delay the recruitment process.

The funding provided will support delivery at pace in line with agreed milestones and governance requirements, facilitating coordination across commissioning/procurement, finance, legal and operational stakeholders, and ensuring appropriate attention is given to safeguarding, equality, data protection and information governance throughout the programme lifecycle.

The proposed 3-month period will initiate key commissioning and procurement activities, begin establishing programme governance, and support early continuity of planning and stakeholder engagement.

Decision

Approval is requested to allocate up to £15,000 for a 3-month period from May 2026 to August November 2026 to support the Programme Manager capacity required to lead the commissioning programme for Greater Manchester Rehabilitation Services for People on Probation.