The tender process has been postponed to allow independent evaluation

In a surprise last minute decision, the Chief Executive of Edinburgh Council has intervened to suspend the tendering process for care and support services. The report that was to be submitted to tomorrow morning's Finance and Resources Committee meeting will now be withdrawn from the agenda. An independent investigation is being launched into the whole process, which will report back to the Council next year. The special meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee will still go ahead tomorrow, but it will simply last a few minutes and the Convener will announce the intention to postpone award of contracts pending an independent investigation.
This significant victory is largely due to the pressure put on the Council from all those involved in the campaign against the whole tendering process.
Well done!
SWAN believes that the positions of those who tried to push this through are now untenable. We suggest that you contact both the LibDem / SNP administration and local media (principally the Evening News) to call for the resignation of Paul Edie, Norman Work, Mark Turley and Peter Gabbitas now that the policy of cutting finance to, and the selling off, of care and support services that they engineered has been discredited.
We will be attending the Finance meeting tomorrow and it would be great to see you there to celebrate with us!
Statement from Council Leader Jenny Dawe copied below.
Thanks
SWAN Edinburgh

FINAL DRAFT OF CEC NEWS RELEASE

from Chief Executive's Office





The following is a statement from City of Edinburgh Council Leader Jenny Dawe.



She said: “I recognise the importance of the Care and Support Services Tender to vulnerable people in the city and have insisted that all aspects of the tendering process must be robust. I have been in regular touch with senior council officials on this and have just been advised that there remain a number of outstanding issues surrounding the Care and Support Services Tender. As a result, I have instructed the Chief Executive to have the tenders independently evaluated.



“The specially convened Finance and Resources Committee will meet tomorrow when the Convener intends to adjourn the meeting to allow officers to provide an updated report in January.



“On behalf of the Administration, I would like to reassure service users there will be no interruption to their current care and support arrangements, pending a decision in January. Direct Payment applications will continue to be processed as previously agreed.



“We are determined to ensure the integrity of the tender process and believe an independent evaluation is the best way to achieve this.”