East Kent Colleges Group (EKC): Retained Legal Advice & Service 2025

As a family of six community-based colleges and EKC Training across East Kent, East Kent Colleges Group's (EKC Group) mission is to empower our communities to develop their economic and social prosperity in a rapidly changing world. The Group encounters various requests, and queries from a range of different stakeholders from learners themselves, their guardians, as well as from councils, and other private and public sector organisations. Key areas of operation for which EKC Group are seeking retained legal services are areas including: commercial contract review and negotiation, SEND learner provision (including referrals and appeals), Data protection (and data sharing), property ownership, utilisation, alteration, and leases, as well as providing safe environments for staff and students across all the colleges as a collective with the aim of mitigating risks, and operating in compliance with relevant legislation and regulations. This project is to procure Retained Legal Advice and Services which: 1. Provide ad-hoc access to a professional and legislatively sound advice and guidance service and paid at an agreed fixed fee each month or on an annual fee basis in the following nine key areas (non-exhaustive list): a. Education law/student matters including disability discrimination, SEND, safeguarding, admissions and exclusions and service complaints; b. Corporate governance and subsidiary company advice; c. Freedom of information; d. Health and safety; e. Data protection; f. Contracts, terms and conditions, service level agreements etc.; g. Property disputes, leases, land and building matters, including capital projects; h. Contractual disputes with third parties and; i. General advice on issues affecting the running of the Group. 2. Provide unlimited telephone and email advice on a range of areas as detailed in the ITT Document (including those listed above) 3. Provide access and communicate with up to five specific members of the team, to be specified in the agreement as necessary. 4. Provide advice and guidance which adds value e.g. challenging assumptions and information provided. This will also include the provision of free briefings/update sessions/webinars on key legal changes as they arise e.g. circa 2 or 3 hours per annum.