Issue - meetings
19/00018 - Coroners Removal and Transfer Contracts
Meeting: 19/03/2019 - Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee (Item 171)
To consider and endorse, or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Community & Regulatory Services on the proposed decision to:
(a) award contracts for coroners body removals and body transfers for the Kent and Medway coroner areas for the period 23 May 2019 to 22 May 2022 with the option to extend the contracts for two further one year terms to 22 May 2023 and 22 May 2024; and
(b) delegate authority to the interim Director of EPE in consulation with the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services to conclude the contracts for coroners body removals and body transfers for the Kent and Medway coroner areas for the period 23 May 2019 to 22 May 2022 with the option to extend the contracts for two further one year terms to 22 May 2023 and 22 May 2024.
Additional documents:
- Item 19 - 1900018 - EXEMPT - Appendix A- Coroners Removal Contract , View reasons restricted (171/2)
- Item 19 - 1900018 - Appendix B - EqIA coroners removal contracts - unsigned, item 171
PDF 96 KB
- Item 19 - 1900018 - Supplementary - Appendix A - PROD, item 171
PDF 90 KB
- Webcast for 19/00018 - Part 1 - Renewal of contract for Coroners Service body removals and body transfers.
Minutes:
Stephanie Holt-Castle (Interim Director of Environment, Planning and Enforcement), Mike Overbeke (Group Head – Public Protection) and Debbie Large (Head of Coroner Service) were in attendance for this item.
1. Mr Overbeke introduced the report that set out the proposal for the renewal of contracts for the body removal and body transfer services that Kent County Council were legally obliged to provide on behalf of the Kent and Medway Senior Coroners.
2. As a supplement to this, Ms Large said that the current contract was due to expire on 22nd May 2019 and that following the completion of an Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) complaint tendering exercise, Kent County Council were in a position to award contracts to the successful bidders. However, a significant change in the renewal of the contracts was that providers were unwilling to re-bid in the tendering process if Kent County Council continued to deliver the Body Removal service and body transfer service under pone contract and for this reason, a decision was made to create two separate contracts. Historically providers had either fully or partially subsidised the service as they were able to absorb the costs as a loss leader on the basis that they would recuperate the money through the funeral costs, however, this proved to be an unstainable mechanism for coroner services and as a result, increased budget allocations were required to support services in carrying in out their statutory functions.
3. RESOLVED that the proposed decision (19/00018) to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services to:
(a) award contracts for coroners body removals and body transfers for the Kent and Medway coroner areas for the period 23 May 2019 to 22 May 2022 with the option to extend the contracts for two further one-year terms to 22 May 2023 and 22 May 2024; and
(b) delegate authority to the Director of EPE in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services to conclude the contracts for coroners body removals and body transfers for the Kent and Medway coroner areas for the period 23 May 2019 to 22 May 2022 with the option to extend the contracts for two further one year terms to 22 May 2023 and 22 May 2024,
be endorsed.