Agenda item

Report attached.

The Cabinet considered a report of Councillor Melissa Fisher, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regeneration, providing an update on the outcome of the recent tender exercise for the delivery of Healthy Weight Management Services on behalf of the Council for the period 1^st April 2026 to 31^st March 2029.

Councillor Fisher provided a brief introduction to the report, highlighting the need for the service, the Council’s rationale for undertaking a tender exercise for an external provider and the high level of experience of the successful tenderer.  Overall, their programme would empower individuals to manage their own issues, leading to lasting change.

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

In 2024 Lancashire County Council had taken the decision to collaborate directly with District Councils for the delivery of a new healthy weight management service.  As such, Hyndburn Borough Council had entered into a 5-year collaboration agreement with Lancashire County Council for the provision of Weight Management Services in Hyndburn from 1^st April 2024 until 31^st March 2029.  Within the agreement, District Councils had the ability to deliver services in house or appoint a provider to deliver the service on its behalf.

Reports presented to Cabinet in February 2024 and March 2025, had highlighted that levels of obese and overweight adults and children in Lancashire continued to increase and were also significantly higher than the Lancashire and National averages.  Working collaboratively had provided the opportunity to reshape and redesign services in Hyndburn.  Healthy weight management programs typically ran for around 12 weeks and often operated in group settings, either in-person, on-line or via web-based applications, (or a combination).  Participants received expert guidance on diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes, with a strong focus on behaviour change generally centred around exercise.

The services looked to combine healthy weight management with PASTA, (Play and Skills at Teatime Activity) which was a programme previously commissioned by LCC which aimed to encourage and empower families to make choices to lead a healthier lifestyle through participation in an active play and cooking session.  Participants prepares and ate/or took home a nutritious and budget conscious family meal each week and the opportunity to understand the importance of good nutrition and physical activity.

These programmes aimed to empower individuals to manage their weight, improve their well-being, and reduce their risk of weight-related health issues.  Though limited in duration, they acted as a crucial springboard for lasting change, helping individuals find their footing on the path to a healthier and more active lifestyle.

The Council did not have the resources or expertise to deliver the healthy weight management service in-house and needed to appoint a provider to deliver the service on its behalf.  At the meeting in January 2024 and again in March 2025, Cabinet had agreed to waive the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to allow funding to be passported to an external provider (Hyndburn Leisure) but at the latter meeting, it had noted the Council would be required to openly tender these services for the remaining 3 years of the collaboration agreement period from 1^st April 2026 to 31^st March 2029.

Procurement of an External Provider

In line with the open and transparent tender process, the Council had published an Invitation to Tender through the Government’s recommended ‘Find a Tender’ portal on 9^th December 2025 seeking a partner to deliver the Healthy Weight Programme for Hyndburn (details of which were attached as an Appendix to the report).  The key dates for the tender had been as follows:

• Tender Published – 9^th December 2025
• Deadline for receipt of queries – 18^th December 2025
• Final response to queries – 5^th January 2026
• Tender submission deadline – 22^nd January 2026
• Tender decision announced – 13^th February 2026
• Contract decision notice published – 1^st March 2026

Five submissions had been received by the required closing date.  All submissions had been independently assessed and scored by officers on the necessary skills and experience within the following areas highlighted.

The range of scores was from 39 to 89, with the highest scoring and winning tender being submitted by Hyndburn Leisure (Tender 1).

NB Tenders scored in the order they were received

Alternative Options considered and Reasons for Rejection

The Council could decide to deliver the service in-house.  This was not recommended as the Council did not have resource or in-house expertise to deliver the service directly.

Resolved                                 (1)   Cabinet note the outcome of the tender exercise recently undertaken and the successful tender was submitted by Hyndburn Leisure.

(2)   That Cabinet agrees to delegate authority to the Executive Director (Environment) to negotiate and agree all terms relating to the Healthy Weight Management Services contract in consultation with the Executive Director (Legal & Democratic Services) and Portfolio Holder.