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Westmorland and Furness Council — Procurement & Contracts Explorer

Explore contracts, procurement exemptions and contract modifications disclosed under FOI-216557-2026.

Authority
Westmorland and Furness Council
FOI reference
FOI-216557-2026
Response date
10 Aug 2026
Request period
1 Apr 2023 to date of processing

The council confirmed it holds the requested information and supplied a spreadsheet covering contracts, procurement exemptions and direct awards, contract modifications, consultancy, procurement rules and audit information. Every total, percentage and ranking below is PublicAudit.uk analysis of the council's released dataset — not a figure stated by the council.

Summary

PublicAudit.uk analysis of the released dataset, filtered to records with a recorded date between 1 Apr 2023 and 10 Aug 2026.

£25k+ contracts

329

Contracts with a recorded start date in the requested period and a recorded total contract value of £25,000 or more.

Recorded contract value

£687.0m

Combined recorded total/maximum value of those contracts.

Procurement exemptions

92

Exemption records identified during the requested period.

Exemption value

£7.56m

Approximate combined maximum contract values recorded for those exemption records.

Contract modifications

133

Modification records identified during the requested period.

Recorded modification value

£98.0m

Approximate combined modification value across 129 modification records containing numeric modification values.

Modifications over 10%

95

Entries where the modification value is greater than 10% of the recorded contract value. Combined modification value £89.8m.

Missing procurement method

69 / 329

Qualifying contracts with no procurement method populated in the analysed field.

A large modification, exemption or direct award does not by itself indicate wrongdoing. Procurement rules allow contracts to be modified or awarded without an open competition in various circumstances. These figures identify records for further examination.

Largest contracts

Ranked dynamically from the qualifying contracts in the released dataset by recorded total contract value.
  1. 1. Older Adults Residential and Nursing Care Services - Older Adults Residential and Nursing Care Services£132.0m
    Please see Supplier References TabAdult Social CareOpen TenderContracts Register row 623
  2. 2. Transport Dynamic Purchasing System ( Home to School and Adults for use in all areas)£69.0m
    VariousChildren ServicesPseudo DPSContracts Register row 620
  3. 3. Core Surfacing Contract with Hanson Contracting£60.0m
    Hanson ContractingCommunities, Place and EconomyOpen ProcedureContracts Register row 619
  4. 4. Flexible Framework Homecare£41.0m
    Flexible Framework of ProvidersAdult Social CareOtherContracts Register row 618
  5. 5. Surface Treatment Contract contract with Kiely Bros. Limited£40.0m
    Kiely Bros. LimitedCommunities, Place and EconomyOpen ProcedureContracts Register row 617
  6. 6. Integrated Sexual Health Services£28.4m
    North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC)Communities, Place and EconomyOpen TenderContracts Register row 616
  7. 7. Provision of Reactive, Statutory and Planned Maintenance for Corporate Properties£26.4m
    Ian Dockerty Limited T/a IDL Technical ServicesResourcesOpen ProcedureContracts Register row 613
  8. 8. Utilities Contract - Electricity Supply (Half Hourly & NHH)£19.9m
    NPower Commercial Gas Limited, trading as NPower Business Solutions powered by E.onResourcesCall-off Direct AwardContracts Register row 611
  9. 9. 0 - 19 Healthy Child Programme Services£19.5m
    Harrogate & District NHS Foundation TrustCommunities, Place and EconomyOpen TenderContracts Register row 610
  10. 10. Managed Services for Temporary Agency Resources£18.8m
    HCRG WF SolutionsResourcesCall-off Mini-compContracts Register row 609

Money by directorate

Aggregated recorded contract values for qualifying £25k+ contracts — not expenditure. Select a directorate to filter the contract explorer.

Procurement methods

The council's own wording is shown first. PublicAudit.uk also offers a normalised grouping so equivalent methods can eventually be compared across authorities — the original terminology is never overwritten.

Raw terminology (as recorded)

Normalised category (PublicAudit.uk grouping)

  • Open competition£435.7m · 81 contracts
  • Call-off mini competition£45.2m · 73 contracts
  • Not populated£33.1m · 69 contracts
  • Request for quotation£2.68m · 32 contracts
  • Call-off direct award£38.3m · 27 contracts
  • Exemption£4.45m · 25 contracts
  • Direct award£5.33m · 15 contracts
  • Dynamic purchasing system£79.4m · 3 contracts
  • Other£41.2m · 2 contracts
  • Restricted procedure£1.65m · 2 contracts

Council reference sheet vocabulary: Open Procedure, Competitive Flexible Procedure, Direct Award, Open Framework, Framework Competitive Selection, Call-off Direct Award, Call-off Mini Competition, Request for Quotation, Request for Proposals, Exemption, Dynamic Market, PSR Direct Award Process A, PSR Direct Award Process B, PSR Direct Award Process C, PSR Most Suitable Provider Process, PSR Competitive Process, Restriced Procedure, Competitive Procedure with Negotiation, Competitive Dialogue, Innovation Partnership, Negotiated Procedure without Prior Publication, Dynamic Purchasing System, Pseudo DPS, Other.

Missing procurement method

69 / 329

qualifying contracts have no procurement method populated in the analysed procurement-method field.

This does not establish that no procurement process took place. It means the relevant field in the released dataset was not populated.

Modifications over 10% — 95 entries

95 modification entries exceed 10% of the recorded contract value, with an approximate combined modification value of £89.8m. Ranked by modification value.
  • Open Framework Agreement for the Provision of Early Education and Childcare+£49,692,000
    Recorded value £95,806,000Calculated ratio 51.9%Large modificationModifications row 82
  • Westmorland and Furness Barrow Block+£6,424,578
    Recorded value £26,600,000Calculated ratio 24.2%Large modificationModifications row 106
  • Barrow Block Bed Contract Extension+£6,021,616
    Recorded value £24,000,000Calculated ratio 25.1%Large modificationModifications row 63
  • Apprenticeships Framework+£4,000,000
    Recorded value £20,000,000Calculated ratio 20.0%Large modificationModifications row 22
  • Integrated Sexual Health Services+£2,305,890
    Recorded value £11,505,890Calculated ratio 20.0%Large modificationModifications row 103
  • Integrated Sexual Health Services+£2,278,491
    Recorded value £11,478,491Calculated ratio 19.9%Large modificationModifications row 61
  • 0-19 Children and Family Support Service+£1,970,005
    Recorded value £10,342,526Calculated ratio 19.0%Large modificationModifications row 6
  • Integrated Sexual Health Services+£1,840,000
    Recorded value £11,040,000Calculated ratio 16.7%Large modificationModifications row 60
  • food e-vouchers during school holidays directly to families eligible for free school meals, passporting government funding.+£1,653,750
    Recorded value £4,728,750Calculated ratio 35.0%Large modificationModifications row 113
  • Construction Contract+£1,423,825
    Recorded value £2,505,682Calculated ratio 56.8%Large modificationModifications row 108
  • Building Cleaning Services+£1,192,888
    Recorded value £2,707,112Calculated ratio 44.1%Large modificationModifications row 51
  • Targeted Careers Information Advice and Guidance Contract+£1,002,902
    Recorded value £2,005,804Calculated ratio 50.0%Large modificationModifications row 95

Modification values exceeding the recorded base contract value

Research panel: records where the calculated ratio is 100% or more.
  • Not populated536.2%
    Lee Ingledow T/A G & J TaxisRecorded value £18,338Modification £98,337Modifications row 37
  • Underwater Inspections405.8%
    Inspira Structures LtdRecorded value £52,964Modification £214,904Modifications row 107
  • South Lakes Leisure Contract193.5%
    Greenwich Leisure LimitedRecorded value £237,241Modification £458,963Modifications row 92
  • Apprenticeships Framework151.4%
    Kendal College (lead) operating as Cumbria Colleges Group on behalf of Kendal College–, Carlisle College, Lakes College and Furness College)Recorded value £29,724Modification £45,000Modifications row 3
  • Apprenticeships Framework144.9%
    Cumbria Colleges Group and Gen II Engineering and Technology Training LimitedRecorded value £285,920Modification £414,400Modifications row 36
  • development and design of remediation works and site infrastructure127.3%
    Redstart Northwest LtdRecorded value £391,934Modification £499,000Modifications row 67
  • Not populated121.0%
    Growth LancashireRecorded value £8,265Modification £10,000Modifications row 38
  • Winter maintenance Lot 2105.0%
    Metcalfe Bros LimitedRecorded value £100,000Modification £105,000Modifications row 131
  • Winter maintenance Lot 2105.0%
    Mr M StockdaleRecorded value £100,000Modification £105,000Modifications row 132
  • Independent Visiting Service for Children Looked After100.0%
    National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)Recorded value £19,350Modification £19,350Modifications row 11
  • Provision of Targeted Family Support Services’100.0%
    Cumbria Family Support LtdRecorded value £32,400Modification £32,400Modifications row 15
  • contract for the delivery of a Children’s Direct Payment Support Service100.0%
    People FirstRecorded value £132,000Modification £132,000Modifications row 29
  • Winter maintenance Lot 1100.0%
    Mr D C LabbateRecorded value £35,532Modification £35,532Modifications row 129

These percentages are mathematical comparisons between the fields supplied in the council's spreadsheet. They should not automatically be interpreted as the percentage by which the legally operative contract increased. Framework structures, extensions, cumulative modifications or differences between recorded values may affect the calculation.

What is missing?

Blank fields do not establish non-compliance. They identify information that was not populated in the dataset released under FOI.

77

of 133 records

Modification Type blank

77

of 133 records

"Modification Provided for in Contract" blank

91

of 133 records

Specific modification regulation field blank

69

of 329 records

Procurement method field blank

Fields not supplied at all

The released spreadsheet does not contain the following fields, so this explorer cannot show them:

  • Contract reference number
  • Contract status
  • Contract type
  • SME indicator
  • VCSE indicator
  • Framework name or reference
  • Consultancy classification
  • Approval / decision-maker details for contract awards

Questions worth asking

These are research questions, not allegations.
  • Which contracts received the largest modifications?
  • Why were those modifications required?
  • Which modifications were anticipated in the original procurement?
  • What legal provisions were relied upon?
  • Were required contract modification notices published?
  • Which suppliers received multiple exemptions?
  • Which suppliers hold the greatest combined contract value?
  • How much procurement is conducted through frameworks versus open competition?
  • Why are procurement-method fields blank for some contracts?
  • Why are legal/modification fields missing from numerous modification records?

Source documents

Council source material

FOI response FOI-216557-2026

Westmorland and Furness Council response of 10 August 2026 confirming it holds the requested information and supplying the contracts register.

Council source material

Council contracts register spreadsheet

Original spreadsheet supplied by the council covering contracts, procurement exemptions and contract modifications from 1 April 2023.

Council source material

Constitution and Contract Procedure Rules

The council's constitution, which contains its contract procedure rules.

View on the council website
Council source material

Procurement pages and strategy

Council procurement information, including its procurement strategy and supplier guidance.

View on the council website
Council source material

Committees, audit and decisions

Committee papers, including audit committee reports covering procurement and contract management.

View on the council website
PublicAudit.uk calculation

PublicAudit.uk analysis

All totals, percentages, bands and rankings on this page are calculated by PublicAudit.uk from the council's released spreadsheet. They are not figures stated by the council.

Source spreadsheet: Westmorland and Furness Contracts Register (released spreadsheet). Every record in this explorer keeps its original sheet and row number so figures can be traced back to the source record.

Methodology

How PublicAudit.uk produced these figures

Contract records were filtered on a recorded start date between 1 Apr 2023 and 10 Aug 2026 and a recorded total contract value of £25,000 or more.

Exemption and modification records were filtered on the authorisation date recorded in the spreadsheet, using the same period.

The resulting statistics were calculated from the spreadsheet supplied in response to FOI-216557-2026.

Contract values may represent maximum potential values, framework ceilings, estimated values or total contract values rather than expenditure.

Modification percentages are calculated using fields contained within the released spreadsheet: modification value ÷ recorded contract value × 100.

Data should therefore be interpreted as procurement-register information rather than a statement of actual council expenditure.

Follow the records, not the rumours.

PublicAudit.uk provides access to public records and tools for exploring them. A large contract, exemption, direct award or contract modification is not evidence of wrongdoing. The purpose of this explorer is to make public procurement easier to understand, search and scrutinise.