London councils to cut suppliers in re-procured £20m+ barristers framework

The London Boroughs Legal Alliance is aiming to reduce the number of suppliers through the re-procurement of its barristers framework, which is valued at an estimated £20-25m over four years.

The contracting authority is Waltham Forest Council and the tender is being run by procurement consultancy Kennedy Cater.

The other participating authorities are: Brent; Camden; City of London Corporation; Ealing; Hackney; Harrow; Hammersmith Fulham; Hillingdon; Hounslow; Islington; and Kensington & Chelsea.

There will be seven lots:

1. Adult Social Services;
2. Children's services;
3. Governance & Public Law;
4. Criminal Litigation & Prosecutions;
5. Housing;
6. Planning & Property;
7. Civil Litigation.

The revised framework agreement will run for a period of three years from 1 January 2016, with an option to extend for a further year.

In its notice, the LBLA said: “The Members intend to develop a panel of legal advisers able to provide excellent quality and cost effective advocacy and related legal services covering the areas listed above.

“The existing panel [appointed in 2012] is made up of 29 sets of chambers, although 63 % of expenditure over the life of the framework has been with six sets of chambers. One of the aims of this tender exercise is, therefore, to reduce the number of suppliers, but to increase the spread of work, by ultimately appointing between 3 and 5 legal advisers to each Lot, with the possibility of appointing up to 7 legal advisers to Lot 2.”

The option has been reserved to give local authorities within Greater London and South-East England access the agreement “in due course”.