Employment of Environmental Protection & Housing Team Consultant from Oyster Partnership

Concepts

• environmental protection
• letchworth
• housing team
• housing team consultant
• environmental health division
• environmental health
• expert consultancy support
• environmental health of north herts council
• housing manager
• oyster partnership

Location

North Hertfordshire

Description

Appointment of specialist consultant via Oyster Partnership to provide expert consultancy support for managing the Environmental Protection and Housing Team (EP&H) of Environmental Health division of North Herts Council.

Total Quantity or Scope

Authorisation in line with the Single Tender Process as per rule 14.4 c(i) and 14.8 of the Council's Contract Procurement Rules with regard to the retrospective and continuing appointment of consultant via Oyster Partnership to provide expert consultancy support for managing the Environmental Protection and Housing Team (the Team) of Environmental Health of North Herts Council. Consultant will hold the role of Environmental Protection and Housing Manager (Acting). Consultant has been employed by the Council in this role since October 2022 initially to provide assistance to the EP&H Manager as part of her phased return to work following a sickness absence. This appointment has since changed such that he now fully manages the EP&H Team (the Team). There is a long history that the Council's Team has of not being able to appoint officers into its employment, and the critical nature of this post that is essential in the operational management of the Team, to facilitate the development of the Team and officers currently in post, and to allow the Council to meet its statutory duties in relation to the work of the EP&H team.

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 90720000 - Environmental protection

Indicators

• Award on basis of price and quality.

Legal Justification

Consultant has successfully worked in the role and within this capacity under the necessary terms of employment required by North Herts Council since October 2022. The post he currently holds is critical to the Council, and that failure to continue with his contract will pose a significant detriment to Environmental Health in particular, but to the Council as a whole. Due to the structure of the Team, the operational role played by the Manager is critical and without Consultant in post, the Team could not operate in an effective or compliant manner. It would be difficult to replace him in the role, due to the approximately 3 to 6 months that would be required to identify, interview, appoint and then train an alternative suitable Consultant, therefore it is not possible for the Council to accommodate such a void for this length of time. This will safeguard the Council if the previous difficulties in employing officers continue. It is nationally recognised that there is a lack of experienced and competent officers working in the Environmental Health sector, and due to the required nature of this post, the post-holder will have to be competent in all aspects of the work of the Team, which means that being able to identify and then appoint such an officer will be harder. The consultant has proven himself to be technically compliant in all respects and meet the rigours of the Council's requirements.