Purchase of 1 bed social rented units

A procurement process was initiated on 22nd December 2025, with the associated UK4 Tender Notice published on the same date. The tender was scheduled to close on 26th January 2026, allowing for the Christmas period to be taken into account. Although five organisations registered an interest in the opportunity, none proceeded to submit a formal bid before the deadline.

Following the closure of the tender window, the Council contacted all respondents to request feedback on their decision not to progress. Unfortunately, no written feedback was received. A further follow up request was issued, but again no responses were provided. Some informal, anecdotal feedback was obtained through a conversation with one of the interested parties, who indicated that the registration process required by the Central Digital Platform was overly complex, which contributed to their decision not to submit a bid.

On the basis of Legal Services’ advice, and in light of the unsuccessful tender process, it is considered that a direct award to Trent & Dove for the provision of the required services represents the most appropriate route forward.