Community right to challenge

The right to challenge how we provide a service will allow voluntary and community groups, charities, parish councils, and council staff to bid to run a service where they believe they can do so differently and better.  This may be a whole service or part of a service.  

Organisations wishing to exercise the right to challenge will need to submit a written expression of interest.  We will have to consider and respond to expressions of interest which, if accepted, will trigger a procurement exercise for that service. The challenging body can then participate, alongside others. 

More information on the Community Right to Challenge

How to challenge

Complete the application form and email it to [email protected] or to the following postal address: 

Strategic Procurement Unit 
Purple Area, 3rd Floor 
Kensington Town Hall 
Hornton Street 
London W8 7NX 

What you should include

If the proposal is to deliver the relevant service as part of a consortium to use a sub-contractor, the following information must be given in respect of each member of the consortium and each sub-contractor as appropriate: 

• who has expressed the interest and who is proposing to deliver the service
• information about the financial resources of the organisation submitting the expression of interest
• evidence to demonstrate that, by the time of any procurement exercise, the organisation submitting the expression of interest will be capable of providing, or assisting in providing, the relevant service
• sufficient identification of the service to be considered and the geographical area that the service affects
• the outcomes that are to be achieved and, in particular  
• how the service will improve the well-being and meet the needs of service users
• how the service will promote the social, economic or environmental well-being of the borough
• where the relevant body consists of employees of the relevant authority, details of how that relevant body proposed to engage other employees of the relevant authority who are affected by the expression of interest

Acceptance and rejection of expressions of interest

We may accept an expression of interest, accept it with modifications, or reject it.   

Potential reasons for rejection are: 

• if it does not meet the requirements of the service, or is outside the regulations that we must comply with 
• if the information presented is inaccurate or is inadequate to be fully considered 
• the organisation submitting the expression of interest is not suitable to provide the service 
• if it relates to a service where a decision has been made to stop providing that service
• if it relates to a service which falls outside of the Localism Act 2011 because it is an exempt service
• if it relates to a service which is already the subject of a procurement exercise
• if it relates to a service for which negotiations are underway
• if it is frivolous or vexatious
• acceptance is likely to lead to a breach of the law, or statutory duty

Timing

We have agreed that expressions of interest may be submitted from 1 January to 31 March each year.   

This is to allow us to consider expressions of interest as part of our budget-setting process.  We will acknowledge receipt of the Expression of Interest and will notify the applicant of the timescales within which it will make its decision by 30 April each year. 

Local authorities are able to designate certain times of year when expressions of interest can be submitted.   

Contact

If you have queries, please email us at [email protected].