Purpose

Tower Hamlets
is a highly sought-after location. Under the current contract,
Tower Hamlets has maintained its position as the second most
filming days of 33 London boroughs.

This contract aims to appoint a Film Location Management
company to oversee and co-ordinate all filming activity across
council managed assets to ensure filming activity is safe, well
managed and to generate income to support council
services.

The appointed contractor will be required to provide all
staffing to process film licenses and provide marketing and online
resources to promote assets.

This will be an open tender, and bidders will be required to
offer a percentage split to the council for undertaking the
management of the council’s filming contract and demonstrate
that they have the skills and expertise to safely deliver the
activity and increase filming income.

Content

DECISION

 

1.    
Notes the improved contract management arrangements put in
place for the proposed Film Locations Management
contract.
 

2.    
Agrees the procurement of a replacement Film Locations
Management contract (to take effect on 1 April 2026 for a period of
three (3) years with an option to extend by two (2) years based on
the parameters set out in section three of this report.
 

3.    
Authorises the Corporate Director Communities in consultation
with the Mayor to award a contract to the winning bidder following
the procurement referred to in recommendation 2.
 

4.    
Authorises the Director of Legal Services and Monitoring
Officer to execute and enter into all necessary
agreements.
 

5.    
Notes the Equalities specific considerations as set out in
Paragraph 4. 
 

Reasons for the decision

The decisions are
required as the current contract relating to film locations
management is due to expire on 31 March 2026. In line with the
Council’s Constitution and Procurement Procedures, the Mayor
in Cabinet is asked to agree the contract strategy for a
replacement contract. 

Alternative options considered

Insource the management of film
locations:
 
Bringing film
locations management provision in-house would require the Council
to establish a dedicated service, creating new staff posts, and
allocating a revenue budget. Initial setup costs include
infrastructure and a location image library (see exempt Appendix
1).
 
Film activity is
subject to industry fluctuations, such as the recent global
writers' strike. Outsourcing avoids financial exposure linked to
staffing and operational overheads. External providers offer
flexibility to scale resources in response to market downturns and
upturns and have experts from the industry that can promote and
position Tower Hamlets as a leading borough for filming. As the
provider receives a percentage of the revenue, it is in their
interest to ensure a high turnover of filming activity and
income.
 
Given the
specialist nature of film services and the need for industry
connectivity, outsourcing remains the recommended option, offering
operational resilience, commercial growth, and reduced financial
risk, while allowing the Council to retain strategic
oversight.
 
Reduce the term of the contract:
 
This is a highly
specialised market with a limited number of providers offering film
location management services. Therefore, it is recommended that the
Council pursues a three-year contract, with the option to extend
for a further two years (24 months). This contract duration
reflects the commercial realities of the sector. There are
significant initial set-up costs for the appointed contractor,
including the development of a location image library,
implementation of payment and booking systems, and allocation of
staffing resources. A shorter contract term may deter potential
bidders or result in less commercially favourable proposals, as
providers would have limited time to recoup their
investment.