Gateshead Borough Council Awards £1.72 Million Advocacy Services Contract

Gateshead Borough Council has awarded a £1.72 million contract to Your Voice Counts to deliver advocacy services across the borough.

The contract is expected to commence on 1 October 2026 and run until 30 September 2029, with the option to extend for up to 24 months, potentially taking the agreement through to 30 September 2031.

Delivering a Single Advocacy Service

The recommissioned contract will provide a range of statutory, non-statutory and general advocacy services, including:

• Care Act Advocacy
• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA)
• Relevant Person’s Representative (RPR)
• Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA)
• NHS Complaints Advocacy
• Rule 1.2 Representative Advocacy
• General Advocacy

The Council decided to procure the service as a single contract rather than divide it into separate lots, stating that many individuals require access to more than one type of advocacy during their journey. A single provider is intended to deliver a consistent advocacy approach, support smooth transitions between services and provide coordinated support.

Procurement Process

The contract was awarded following an open procedure under the Light Touch Regime.

Two tenders were received and both progressed to the final assessment stage. Both submissions were from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs). One supplier was awarded the contract.

The award decision was made on 31 July 2026, with assessment summaries issued the same day. The standstill period concludes on 12 August 2026, with the earliest contract signature date being 13 August 2026.

Contract Details

• Contracting Authority: Gateshead Borough Council
• Successful Supplier: Your Voice Counts
• Contract Value: £1.72 million excluding VAT (£2.064 million including VAT)
• Contract Term: 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2029
• Extension Option: Up to 30 September 2031
• Procurement Procedure: Open Procedure (Light Touch)
• Service Area: Gateshead

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