The Government’s roadmap for lifting national Covid-19 lockdown restrictions published in February 2021 includes a requirement for local authorities to extend asymptomatic community testing until the end of June, and to expand the service by offering Lateral Flow Test (LFT) home testing for eligible groups via a system called 'Community Collect'.

Alongside the rollout of the vaccine, the ongoing provision of asymptomatic community testing will play a vital role in ensuring that the lifting of restrictions is delivered safely and sustainably. As lockdown eases, asymptomatic community testing will expand to focus on new groups of people as relevant national restrictions are eased, following the initial focus on the return of schools. Other groups will follow in accordance with the timetable set out in the roadmap.

All of our current Asymptomatic Test Sites (ATS) are currently operated by a provider, Hub Logistics, who were appointed by the Greater London Authority in December 2020 to deliver community mass testing for all 8 boroughs in North East London.

The Council was informed in February 2021 that this arrangement would cease at the end of March 2021, with a possible extension until the 12th April where boroughs could demonstrate robust transition plans were in place.

This paper proposes a contract award to Hub Logistics for the continued provision of four fixed Asymptomatic Test Sites (ATSs) in Tower Hamlets over a three month period until the end of June 2021, operating 9 hours per day, 7 days per week and offering enhancements to the existing service such as ‘Community Collect’ points for home test kit collection.

The estimated value of this contract is £715,000 with the flexibility to expand provision should the need arise. These costs will be funded by the Department of Health & Social Care up to the lower of £14 per test delivered or costs.


During this three-month period the Council will also assume direct management of the Blackwall Depot staff testing site, as well as developing a longer term delivery plan for community asymptomatic testing.