Lincolnshire County Council is set to spend almost £400,000 for an economic analysis of the mental health impact from inland flooding.
The decision will see a total of £387,130 being paid to a company called Consultancy Plus which will sub contract work to a number of companies and universities – including one in Dubai.
The contract also includes a 3.6 per cent charge to ‘facilitate the agreement’ – which amounts to £13,453 to Consultancy Plus (C+).
The awarding of the contract, which was an executive decision, will be through the publicly-owned YPO Managing Consultancy. The service is the country’s largest public sector buying organisation and helps them set up or renew contracts for a range of services. Consultancy Plus is the single service provider procured via YPO.
“C+ are the sole supplier on the framework, which is designed to allow them to onboard specific delivery partners for customers, allowing us a complaint route to engage the university,” says a document relating to the decision.
“The University of Hertfordshire will work alongside a range of partners from Orbital Applied Economics, Emirates Aviation University, Ocean Oculus, Middlesex University, University of Birmingham, UK Health Security Agency and the National Flood Forum,” it continues.
“The team’s expertise and links to public health are excellent. This type of work requires access to medical data that only people in this type of team have. It also requires the correct statistical analysis techniques for public health data.”
The Emirates Aviation University in Dubai receives the largest chunk of the funding, at £89,925 while the UK Health Security Agency has £72,745. Middlesex University will receive £65,548, University of Hertfordshire £41,759, Orbital Applied Economics (private company) £37,800, Ocean Oculus (communications company) £33,000 and Flood Forum £2,700.
“The project aims to conduct a comprehensive economic analysis of the mental health impacts of flooding, with a focus on groundwater flooding,” says the document.
The decision was taken on March 31.
Lincolnshire County Council say the funding came from government through the Environment Agency as part of Project Groundwater. “The research will be used to inform national decision-making,” a spokesman said.
