Decision

For the reasons set out in this report, the Corporate Director has decided to:

1)    Award a contract for the provision of Official Veterinarian services to Hall Mark Meat Hygiene Limited t/a Hallmark Veterinary & Compliance Services for a period of three years at a total contract value of £300,000 (ex VAT).

Alternative options considered

Do not award the contract – The Authority could decide not to award the contract following completion of the procurement. This would not deliver the approved change to a directly contracted service and would leave the Authority requiring an alternative means of maintaining Official Veterinarian provision. It would also fail to give effect to the outcome of the completed competitive procurement.

Continue with agency workers – Continuing to source Official Veterinarian through temporary agency arrangements would maintain the previous operating model. Agency staff turnover has disrupted service delivery and increased onboarding requirements, while managing the arrangements creates an ongoing administrative burden.

In-house recruitment of Official Veterinarian staff – Direct employment could provide longer-term integration with the Port Health. However, the specialist nature of the role and the national shortage of qualified Official Veterinarians make recruitment challenging. Additional veterinary capacity would also be required to maintain service continuity during sickness and annual leave, with associated employment, pension and continuing professional development costs