Decision details

With the approval of the Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee, urgency, special urgency procedure, and waiver of call-in procedure have been invoked to suspend the requirement to publish the decision on the forward plan for 28 days, to publish the decision for five days, and to subject the decision to a three day call-in period. These procedures have been invoked in order to meet critical timescales for the urgent procurement of these services and to ensure that delegated authority for CCC to act as lead authority in the commissioning of the COVID-19 Urgent and Surge Community Swabbing Service across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire is obtained. The local testing service shall provide a swift response that is accessible to the local population. There is synergy in the Council’s working together given that the COVID-19 Urgent and Surge Community Swabbing Service shall be provided within the boundaries of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Authority areas and there are clear efficiencies in having one service provision across the two Local authority areas. The service will need to be able to swab in any community setting or workplace as national and local guidance on COVID-19 changes with time and where potential outbreaks could occur.

The Cabinet Member:

1. Authorised the urgent delegation of authority to Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) to act as lead local authority in commissioning the COVID-19 Urgent and Surge Community Swabbing Service across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and for delivery of the function of the service, which shall include the associated transfer of funding to CCC from 10 July 2020 until 31 October 2020. CCC shall enter into contract with the supplier for the delivery of this service.

To ensure that the local testing service provides a swift response that is accessible to the local population (defining how to prioritise and manage deployment) and the ability of the local testing system to be able to respond swiftly once a complex cluster or setting has been identified through the national NHS Test and Trace initiative or through any other national or local stakeholders; e.g. East of England PHE Centre.

Delegating authority to CCC to act as lead local authority in commissioning the COVID-19 Urgent and Surge Community Swabbing Service across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and for delivery of the function of the service is recommended on the basis of strategic and geographical practicalities and therefore a joint procurement will be both financially and operationally beneficial.

There is synergy in working together given that the service will generally be within the boundaries of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Authority areas. The service will need to be able to swab in any community setting or workplace (e.g. schools, early years, factories, homeless accommodation) as national and local guidance on COVID-19 changes with time and where potential outbreaks could occur (including arranging swabbing at an individual’s home).

For CCC and PCC to commission this service separately, however given that the service will generally be provided within the boundaries of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Authority areas there are clear efficiencies in having one service across the two Local authority areas.

None.

None.