Issue - meetings

It was MOVED, SECONDED and RESOLVED that Mayor and Cabinet:

·            Approved Brent entering into the contract with London Grid for Learning Trust for a period of five years, commencing 1 April 2023, on behalf of the Council.

·            Approved the expenditure of up to a maximum value of £600,000 for the Lewisham element of the contract.

7.1   Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategy introduced the report.  She highlighted proposals for Shared Technology Services (STS) comprising London boroughs of Brent, Lewisham, and Southwark for contracts due to expire on 31 March 2024, and asked the meeting to note the following:

·            That the STS would enhance digital inclusion through the provision of network connections to the Council’s multiple sites for internet access.

·            That because of the proposals, the Council would achieve economies of scale by having a single contract, as opposed to current arrangements for two contracts.

·            That in addition to benefits of some free-of-charge broadband lines to deliver connectivity to remote sites, further discussions and negotiations were underway between the Council’s officers and the provider, London Grid for Learning Trust, about what they could provide from a social value perspective in respect of delivering the contract.

7.2     In closing, Councillor De Ryk informed the meeting that the Council was reviewing its policies, with a view to reassess how it would secure wider social value in its commissioning arrangements across departments, and a report on the matter would be submitted to Mayor and Cabinet in due course.

It was MOVED, SECONDED and RESOLVED that Mayor and Cabinet:

·            Approve Brent entering into the contract with London Grid for Learning Trust for a period of five years, commencing 1 April 2023, on behalf of the Council.

·            Approve the expenditure of up to a maximum value of £600,000 for the Lewisham element of the contract.