Content

Salford City Council – Record of
Decision
 
TITLE:Approval to go out
to competition for Unify Programme Due Diligence for Finance and
Services 
 
I Councillor Youd, Lead Member
for Finance and Support Services and chairman of the Procurement
Board, accept the recommendation of the Procurement Board and in
exercise of the powers contained within the Council Constitution do
hereby:
 
·      
approve to go out to competition for
Unify Programme Due Diligence for Finance Services to be procured
in accordance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules
through an existing Framework.
 
The
Reasons are:
The current
timeline for repatriation of services to the Council will be from
1st April 2026 for the Aspire Services and during
2026/27 for the NCA/GMMH Services. Given the short timescales to
expedite the proposed transfer of the delivery to the Council,
immediate external specialist capacity will be required to
undertake a financial baseline assessment, contract review and
understanding of the commercial and legal risk.
 
By engaging
an independent finance consultancy, the organisation benefits from
objective oversight, specialist expertise, and dedicated resource
capacity that may not be available internally. The
consultancy’s impartial perspective enables more rigorous
financial planning, risk mitigation, and governance, while their
experience in managing complex transitions helps accelerate
delivery without compromising control. This independent support not
only safeguards financial integrity but also enhances stakeholder
confidence in the programme’s success.
 
Options considered and rejected were:
Consideration was
given to managing the transition programme within the in-house
finance team; however, the time constraints posed a significant
challenge and could increase the risk of financial issues
materialising during the process.
 
Assessment of Risk:
High Risk – if the
Council does not proceed with this approach there could be
significant financial risk during the transition process and during
the medium term.
 
The
source of funding is:
Given the one-off
nature of the expenditure this will be require an in-year increase
in the financial management budget funded from reserves.
 
Legal
Advice obtained:
This report sets out
the rationale for recommending that external finance service
provision be secured for the Unify Project. The route suggested in
the report is via the Bloom ‘NEPRO3’ Framework. This is
an external framework which complies with the requirements of the
procurement legislation.
 
The Council’s
Contractual Standing Orders allow for the Council to “use
Framework Agreements, DPS’s and/or Dynamic Markets let by
other local authorities, government departments, public bodies or
Central Purchasing Bodies/Centralised Procurement
Authorities” (subject to advice from shared legal services
and/or the procurement team.
 
As the Procurement
comment indicates below, NEPRO 3 is accessible to the Council as a
contracting authority who holds a contract with Bloom. The
framework allows for either direct award or mini-competition to any
number of suppliers within a lot.
 
If a successful firm
is identified to carry out the services required through the NEPRO3
framework, then the report confirms that a work order a call-off
agreement (referred to by Bloom as a work) in the form required by
Bloom would be entered into.
 
This report
references the Unify Programme and why the commissioned work will
be relevant to activities being undertaken a part of that project.
However, this report is clear that external finance resource is
urgently required to be procured and undertaken at this time
because the commissioned finance work is necessary in order to
establish the financial baseline. This is a critical activity which
must be undertaken to ensure that the Council maintains sound
financial governance and informed decision making. Therefore this
activity would need to be undertaken by the Council in any event,
and irrespective of the insourcing of Aspire or any other
commissioning decisions still to be taken in connection with the
Unify Programme.
 
Financial Advice obtained:
Given the
short timescales to expedite the proposed transfer of the delivery
to the Council, immediate external specialist capacity will be
required to undertake a financial baseline assessment, contract
review and understanding of the commercial and legal
risk.
 
This
investment will significantly reduce the financial risks to Salford
City Council associated with the transition, while also identifying
key areas for the in-house team to prioritise. This will help
ensure that Adult Social Care remains financially sustainable over
the medium term.
 
Procurement Advice obtained:
For the Professional Services requirement, using
Bloom would be compliant with Contractual Standing Orders (CSOs).
The Council has an existing contract with Bloom that is in place
until 31st August 2027. The Council has the option to
ask Bloom to run a mini-competition or direct award to any of their
registered sub-providers.

HR Advice
obtained: N/A.
 
Climate Change Implications
obtained: N/A.
 
Contact Officer:
Samuel Russell
Telephone number:
N/A
 
Please delete from the bullets
below any which are not relevant:
·    
This matter is also subject to consider by the Lead
Member for         
Adults and Health Partnerships. The Lead Member has been consulted
and is supportive of the proposed contract.
·    
This decision is urgent and is not subject to
call-in, in accordance with the Decision Making Procedure
Rules.
           
.
 

Signed:     Cllr J
Youd        Dated:    13 October
2025.
         
   Lead Member
 

FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE
ONLY:
 
*         This
decision was published on 14 October 2025
*         This
decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 21 October 2025 unless
it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process
Rules.