Decision details

Agreed that:

(1) Approval is given to award a contract for the provision of toxicology services to Analytical Services International Limited, Aspect House, Grove Business Park, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 9FA. The period of the award will be four years commencing on 1 May 2024;

(2) That, the Interim Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer), makes the necessary contractual arrangements in accordance with the Council’s Procurement & Contract Procedure Rules to enable the course of action referred to in (1) above to proceed.

For the purposes of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, Sandwell acts as “the relevant authority” for coronial services in the Black Country. It is therefore incumbent for Sandwell to provide the necessary resources to enable the Coroner to discharge his or her judicial responsibilities which includes the provision of toxicology services.

In support of this, the Council has an on-going requirement for the provision of toxicology testing, therefore, the Council as the relevant authority for the coroner’s service through the award of this contract will be able to continue to support the coroner in the discharge of their judicial responsibilities.

In accordance with the Council’s Contract Procedures Rules, a tendering exercise has been undertaken to establish a four-year contract from 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2028 for the provision of services.

Tenders were invited using public advertisement to cover the requirements as outlined above and a total of three compliant bids were returned by the tender closing date.

Following analysis of the returned tenders, it is recommended approval be given to award a contract for the provision of toxicology services to Analytical Services International Limited, Aspect House, Grove Business Park, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 9FA.

Whilst the value of any contract of this type is dependent on the volume of cases referred to the coroner, it is estimated that this new contract will see annual expenditure of circa £175,000. Over the course of a four-year contract, Sandwell’s expenditure will be circa £700,000.

In accordance with the existing collaborative agreement for the shared coroners service with the other Black Country Councils, Sandwell will recover 75% of all expenditure for the provision of toxicology services as outlined above.

The alternative option to not appoint a toxicology provider was considered however, it was discounted. With no contracted provider the coroner would not be able to discharge his/her judicial responsibilities and the Council would not be acting in accordance with it’s role as the relevant authority for the Black Country Jurisdiction.