CHILD WELFARE CONTRACTS – CIVIL SERVANT NAMED ON INTERVIEW PANEL WITH CONNECTIONS TO ONE OF THE CHARITIES THAT SUBMITTED A TENDER It would appear that despite DHSC Minister Howard Quayle saying the tendering procurement was fair the truth is somewhat different.............. From Joney Faragher.............. “Hi all, heres some info on the recent situation with regard to the Childrens Centre losing the bids for procurement with the DSC, and their subsequent appeal. I understand that their concerns were as follows: 1. The Children’s Centre have clearly shown that John Richards (a Senior Civil Servant and member of the procurement interview panel and co-author of all the service level specifications) was at the time of the procurement a registered director of one of the charities (Family Action) that was shortlisted and interviewed for a service. Is this fact acceptable and fair? Is it not a clear conflict of interest? 2. That the same person had full internal knowledge and detail of The Children’s Centre’s services including staffing levels and budgets – well in advance of the procurement process and whilst he was a director of Family Action. Is this acceptable and fair? 3. The Children’s Centre – like all other organisation’s bidding for work – filled in and submitted a ‘declaration of interest’ form prior to submitting their formal service description and budget to the procurement team. Did John Richards complete his and did Family Action complete theirs – The Children’s Centre have asked this question but have not been given any response? Can anyone confirm if the forms were completed and filed? If they were what did they state? 4. There is some doubt as to whether John Richards has a work permit for his current role and whether this role was actually advertised openly on Island? 5. John Richards previously worked in Peterborough as Executive Director of Social Care. At that time their Social Services Department failed 2 Ofsted Reports and he resigned. Is this a sound career history with which to now be a leading strategic member of the Island’s Social Care Department? bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-14800072. There are several articles and links that you can follow on from the above!! 6. Even though the ‘Family Services’ Lot was not finally awarded – in effect freeing John Richards from the extremely embarrassing and utterly compromised position he had created for himself – doe the effect of his actions not totally tarnish the entire procurement process on the basis of fairness and equality? John Richards did after all play a leading role in writing the Service Specifications? Would the average member of the Manx public see this as acceptable behaviour by a senior civil servant particularly when set against other facts highlighted and to the detriment of a local and very highly regarded charity like The Children’s Centre? 7. I am aware from my research that one of the other bidding charities being St Christopher’s Fellowship have an Manx charity called St Christopher’s Isle of Man. This latter charity has accounts for the period to March 31st 2013 which clearly show the transfer of some £2.3 million to their ‘parent’ body in the UK? Is this not of concern to the Manx Government when there is clearly a local Island provider that can deliver such a service in to the future and one which has an almost unblemished record of long standing? 8. The success of St Christopher’s in gaining all three contracts awarded must now herald a period of 3 to 5 years when further substantial amounts of ‘management fees’ will leave the Island? At this point in the Island’s financial challenges is this acceptable? 9. Prior to any ‘financial adjustments’ being made can you say which of the bidding organisation’s was the most cost effective? The information I have suggests that The Children’s Centre was the most cost effective by more than £500,000 over the terms of the contracts being offered? Whilst the process isn’t all about cost – surely the prior experience and sound history of service delivery by The Children’s Centre must have stood them well? 10. If there have ever been any concerns about the quality of The Children’s Centre’s services why hasn’t any member of the Department ever flagged them up at any partnership meeting or annual review? 11. What do you think the ongoing ‘social impact’ will be of these decisions on The Children’s Centre’s ability to deliver such a wide range of services at no cost to the public? Was this a factor even taken in to account during procurement? In the UK there is a 2012 Social Value Act that demands local authorities factor Social Value in to their procurement decisions and award it a score. Why hasn’t the Isle of Man chosen to do this? I know that TCC asked this question of several senior officers but was told that it was either not relevant or too complex!? In summary – if the test of procurement is ‘that the average man in the street’ must be able to view the process as fair, equitable and reasonable – doesn’t the factual evidence unearthed by The Children’s Centre about the actions of one or more senior civil servants involved in this procurement process from its start (at service design phase) to its conclusion (at interview) indicate that in actual fact it hasn’t been fair, equitable or reasonable?” bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-14800072
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 21:08:52 +0000