COMMUNITY RIGHT TO CHALLENGE

The Localism Act 2011 has introduced the Community Right to Challenge. This gives community groups, voluntary organisations and charitable trusts a right to put forward an expression of interest in running a council service.

Lewisham Council welcomes innovative ideas on how to deliver better services, and is already working with many community groups and voluntary organisations who deliver services for the Council.

Contracts relating to the services set out in the table below are due to come to an end shortly. Lewisham Council will consider expressions of interest in providing any of these services, provided the expressions of interest meet the statutory criteria which can be found at the link below, and are received in the period specified in column 2 in the table.

Service / Period for expressions of interest
Catering - Educational / 1 October to 1 December 2013
Direct Payments / 1 April to 1 June 2013
Domiciliary Care / 1 August to 1 October 2013
Managed Learning / 1 August to 1 October 2013

We will consider expressions of interest, which are submitted in writing and which meet the statutory criteria, which can be found by following the link below.

Expressions of Interest should be submitted via an email to: .

The Council will notify the applicant within two weeks of the expiry of the period set out in the table above, of the date by which a decision will be made on any expressions of interest received.

What happens if an expression of interest is accepted?

If an expression is accepted, the Council will undertake a procurement exercise which must be conducted in line with our obligations and contract procedure rules for procuring services, reflecting the value and complexity of the service to be procured. Successful expressions of interest will not therefore necessarily mean that the applicant will eventually be successful in an open procurement exercise should this be required.

We would ask anyone wishing to express an interest in providing a Council service to refer to the Localism Act 2011 and regulations made under it (in particular Statutory Instrument 2012/1313) and also the Statutory Guidance on the provisions relating to this, which can be found on the Department for Community and Local Government website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-right-to-challenge-statutory-guidance

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