An independent review into a recent commissioning exercise for support services for older people in Leeds has criticised the council for poor communication.
But it has concluded that there is no need to reopen the process for the award of contracts for neighbourhood network services which was halted in March after concerns were raised over the conduct of the process.
The then shadow spokesperson for adult social care, councillor Lucinda Yeadon, said voluntary organisations throughout the city had been left in disarray following a series of council blunders.
Yeadon said an "ill thought-out" tendering process has caused long-lasting damage to morale among the army of staff and volunteers who deliver community based care.
She also said a subsequent administrative error which offered all neighbourhood networks a 12-month extension of their current funding - only to be told days later the conditions were being withdrawn and a three-month contract issued instead - was "breathtakingly careless and insensitive."
There were also concerns that the process has disadvantaged smaller schemes, who had little exposure to the commercial jargon contained within the extensive paperwork.
One of the neighbourhood networks that missed out in funding - Swarcliffe Good Neighbours - launched a petition supported by hundreds of names.
But a report to be considered by members of the council's executive board tomorrow concludes:
"There had been a positive intention to further strengthen the Neighbourhood Networks with long term contractual certainty; that there had been strength in the process, but this had been marred by failures in communication and a degree of antagonism between some Neighbourhood Networks and city council staff.
"The absence of effective dispute resolution processes had not helped difficult circumstances."
The review did not consider there to be any justification for re-opening the procurement process, that there was sufficient information available from the process for a sound decision to be taken on the award of contracts for neighbourhood network services.
It did, however, say that the review has provided an opportunity to reconsider the position of a number of smaller organisations in Leeds and has proposed the creation of a partnership between neighbourhood networks in the East Leeds area.
The report will be considered by councillors on Wednesday.
What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.
