Content

Salford City Council – Record of
Decision
 
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 the extension of Contract for Interim
Programme Director/ Business Change Lead, as detailed in the table
below:
 

Detail required

Answers

Contract Reference

 (to be
supplied by procurement)

Title/Description of Contracted
Service/Supply/Project

Extension of Interim Arrangements for Business Change
Lead / Programme Director

Name of Contractor

Tile Hill

Type of organisation

(to be supplied by
Procurement)

Public Limited Company

Status of Organisation

(to be supplied by
Procurement)

SME

Value of Contract Extension
(£)

Up to £186,300          

Total value of Awarded (including
extension period)

£ 317,520 (estimated to Mar 27)

Existing Contract Term

12/07/2025 to 31/03/2026

Extension Period

01/04/2026 to 31/03/2027

Contact Officer (Name &
number)

Elaina Quesada and Kate Story

Lead Service Group

Other (please identify below)

How was the contract procured?

Call-off by Direct Award

Framework Details

To be determined following approval

Funding Source

External Funding Source (please identify
below)

Ethical Contractor (EC): Mayor’s
Employment Charter

No

EC: Committed to sign the Mayor’s
Employment Charter

No

EC: Committed to the principles outlined
in the Mayor’s Employment Charter

Yes

EC: Accredited Living Wage
Employer

No

EC: Committed to becoming Accredited
Living wage Employer

No

 
 
The reasons are:
Extending the current interim
contract arrangements will provide valuable continuity at a
critical time, ensuring that ongoing work maintains its momentum
without disruption. The individual already brings significant
expertise and deep legislative knowledge that are essential for
navigating complex requirements and making informed decisions.
Their strong understanding of governance and organisational
processes allows them to operate effectively within existing
structures, while the relationships they have already established
across teams and stakeholders enable productive collaboration and
efficient delivery. Retaining this combination of insight,
stability and trusted connections will support smoother operations
and better outcomes for the organisation.
 
Options considered and rejected were:
Engage the individual on a
fixed term contract directly with the Council to undertake the work
or go out to recruitment for the role afresh. These have been
rejected due to the time pressures of Project Unify, the likelihood
of suitable candidates requiring a period of notice prior to
starting in a fixed term role and the length of time that it would
take a new colleague to establish themselves in the role would also
negatively impact upon the Project.
 
Assessment of risk:
The absence of this lead role
in delivering Project Unify may expose the Council to significant
risks, including delivering improvements that are linked to
statutory provisions identified by us an organisation.
 
There is a statutory duty that
the organisation has in place strategic leadership in adults
services with any absence of such leaving the organisation to legal
failing in our duties within The Care Act 2014.
 
The work is of critical
importance to not only the Council but also to the people that we
support and the residents we serve.
 
The source of funding is:
The extension will be funded
from Council reserves. Once approved by Council.
 
Legal advice obtained:
The extension of this temporary
role presents no legal barriers and is justified given the
specialist expertise required to manage the complex TUPE
considerations arising from Project Unify, alongside interpreting
the existing Section 75 arrangements and ensuring the Council
continues to meet its statutory duties under the Care Act 2014 and
Mental Capacity Act 2005. Retaining the current postholder provides
essential continuity and mitigates legal risk by preserving
accumulated knowledge of governance processes, service
responsibilities, and statutory obligations during a period of
significant transformation.
 
Financial advice obtained:
The current
year spend has been included with the forecast Council financial
position. The extension up to end of March 2027 will be managed
through the additional one-off reserve ask reflected within the
2026/27 budget for approval at Council on 25th February
2026.
 
Procurement advice obtained:
The original contract for the
Interim Business Change Lead with Tile Hill was awarded through a
direct award from the LGRP framework which is a public framework
established by YPO and the London Borough of Waltham
Forest.
 
That framework expired in
November 2025, and the next iteration of the framework is due to
go-live in March 2026. There are a number of other frameworks
available to use, and the extension of this contract could be
facilitated by either an extension to the original contract or
making an award via another public procurement
framework.
 
Following approval at
Procurement Board the procurement team will assist the commissioner
in establishing the best route to extend the contract.
 
HR advice obtained:
The Programme Director was
secured via contractual arrangements, this is an extension to this
contract.  Work during the tenure of
this extension will be to support the Unify project which is
additional to the work within the Adult Social Care and hence
requires additional specialist support due to the complex nature of
the project. 
 
Climate change implications obtained: N/A
 
Contact details
Contact Officer: Kate
Story         
Telephone number: 07591 352
464
 
Please delete from the bullets
below any which are not relevant:
·    
The Lead Member has been consulted and is supportive
of the proposed contract.
 

Signed:    Cllr J
Youd         Dated:   23 February
2026.
         
    Lead Member
 

FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE
ONLY:
 

This decision was published on 24
February 2026.
This decision will come in force
at 4pm on 3 March 2026 unless it
is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process
Rules.