FOI Request - Shared Prosperity Fund Contract (Enable Scotland / UHI Moray)
Request 101003993131
Please provide the following information in relation to the Shared Prosperity Fund-supported employability service previously delivered by Enable Scotland and involving UHI Moray, where contracts were due to end on 30 March 2026:
1. Copies of any contracts, agreements, or service level agreements between Moray Council and Enable Scotland relating to this service.
2. Copies of any contracts, agreements, or service level agreements between Moray Council and UHI Moray relating to the same or similar service from 1 January 2025 to present.
3. Details of any procurement or commissioning process undertaken for the continuation of this service following 30 March 2026, including:
a) Whether the service was subject to a competitive tender process
b) If not, the recorded reasons why a competitive process was not undertaken
4. Copies of internal communications (including emails, reports, briefing papers, or meeting minutes) from 1 January 2025 to present discussing:
a) The decision to bring the service “in-house”
b) Any decision regarding the continuation, transfer, or external delivery of the service by UHI Moray
5. Records (including reports, business cases, or decision logs) explaining the decision to cease funding or terminate the arrangement with Enable Scotland.
6. Details of any funding allocated to UHI Moray for delivery of this service following 30 March 2026, including amounts and duration.
Response 01-06-2026
1. The Council holds contractual and agreement documentation relevant to the delivery of these services. However, this information is exempt from disclosure under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA (Commercial Interests and the Economy), as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the commercial interests of the organisations concerned and the Council in relation to procurement, commissioning, and contractual arrangements.
2. The Council holds contractual and agreement documentation relevant to the delivery of these services. However, this information is exempt from disclosure under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA (Commercial Interests and the Economy), as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the commercial interests of the organisations concerned and the Council in relation to procurement, commissioning, and contractual arrangements.
3. A new contract for the delivery of the Sector-based Work Academy Programme for 2026/27 is not in place and is currently being worked on with the Local Employability Partnership and includes Moray Council as the anchor organisation for the funding.
4. The minutes and internal communications within the partnership are commercially sensitive, as such Section 33(1)(b) of FOISA is applicable. All financial decisions made by Moray Pathways Local Employability Partnership are made by the Commissioning Sub Group, which involves Moray Council and four other key stakeholders.
5. UK Shared Prosperity Funding was not awarded to Moray Council for 2026/27 and this resulted in a funding cut of £480k; this lead to the partnership having to de-commission services.
6. Section 17 of FOISA is applicable – information not held. Nonetheless, we can confirm that the contract for 2026/27 is not in place as yet; the scope is currently being worked on with all parties involved.