Contract Extension: Legal Case Management System

The Council is extending an existing contract for a Legal Case Management System with Court Bundling Capability for one additional year, with an option to extend for a further year (maximum two years total). The contract value is being increased by £74,076.28 from the original value of £369,000. This extension is being undertaken under Regulation 72(1)(b) due to technical, operational, and statutory necessity. The current system is fully integrated into the Council's ICT infrastructure with robust security measures for legal documents. A change of contractor would create material risks including: potential failure to meet court deadlines and quasi-judicial requirements, disruption to statutory service delivery, complex system reconfiguration needs, and significant costs. The extension provides time to properly procure a replacement contract while maintaining continuity of legal services. The contract value increase (£74,076.28) does not exceed the 50% threshold of the original contract value (£369,000) and is compliant with procurement regulations. The modification is proportionate, necessary, and does not alter the overall nature of the original contract.