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Issue - meetings

Procurement and Contract Management Strategy - Draft for Consultation

 

 

Meeting: 19/07/2023 - Council (Item 46)

46 Updated Procurement and Contract Management Strategy pdf icon PDF 104 KB

Purpose

To present an updated draft Procurement and Contract Management Strategy for comment and consideration by Council.

 

Recommendations

Subject to the resolutions of Cabinet on 17 July 2023, Council is recommended to resolve to:

1)    Approve the updated Procurement and Contract Management Strategy.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The purpose of the item was to present and seek Council’s approval of an updated draft Procurement and Contract Management Strategy.

 

The Deputy Leader, as the Cabinet Member for Finance, introduced the item. The Deputy Leader highlighted the key points in the report, stating that the purpose of reviewing the strategy was to ensure that Publica obtains value for money, as well as social value and minimising climate impact when procuring its services.

 

The Deputy Leader also highlighted to Council that the approval of the strategy was subject to the inclusion of the missing figure on page 52 of the report pack “£26m”, which represented the combined spending across the Publica Councils.

 

The Deputy Leader stated that the strategy had been reviewed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and welcomed their input. It was clarified that the procurement strategy referred to how Publica, as the Council’s Teckal company, procured services on its behalf. It was noted that this was not about how the Council procured services through Publica. 

 

Members welcomed the proposal, and asked how social value would be measured, and how the use of small businesses would be encouraged through the strategy. The Deputy Leader stated that there was criteria such as carbon impact for a low travel distance that would encourage local suppliers. Local businesses would also be encouraged to bid for contracts through the work of the economic development team. The Deputy Leader caveated this by saying that the procurement matrix was required to be robust and be able to stand up to challenge.

 

Members made reference to the environmental aspects of the strategy on page 41 of the report pack, and asked whether the reduction of other greenhouse gases (such as methane and hydrofluorocarbons) could be incorporated into the report. The Senior Procurement Business Partner stated that this would be added include in the final strategy.

 

Members also made reference to the delivery of “large contracts” on page 44 and asked if this term had an explicit definition. The Senior Procurement Business Partner stated that the definition was defined by the Government, but that this was likely to change soon.

 

Councillor Mike Evemy proposed the recommendations. Councillor Joe Harris seconded the recommendations, and highlighted that the strategy was a positive force for delivering social value. Councillor Joe Harris stated that the strategy allowed the Council to maximise the efficiency of its resources when delivering services.

 

RESOLVED: That Council APPROVE the updated Procurement and Contract Management Strategy.

 

Voting record – For – 26, Against 0, Abstention 1

 

 

For

Against

Abstention/ Did not vote

Angus Jenkinson

 

Ray Brassington

Claire Bloomer

 

David Cunningham

Clare Muir

 

 

Clare Turner

 

 

Daryl Corps

 

 

Gary Selwyn

 

 

Gina Blomefield

 

 

Helene Mansilla

 

 

Jeremy Theyer

 

 

Joe Harris

 

 

Jon Wareing

 

 

Julia Judd

 

 

Juliet Layton

 

 

Len Wilkins

 

 

Lisa Spivey

 

 

Mark Harris

 

 

Michael Vann

 

 

Mike Evemy

 

 

Mike McKeown

 

 

Nikki Ind

 

 

Patrick Coleman

 

 

Paul Hodgkinson

 

 

Tony Slater

 

 

Tom Stowe

 

 

Tony Dale

 

 

Ian Watson

 

 

 

Meeting: 17/07/2023 - Cabinet (Item 147)

147 Updated Procurement and Contract Management Strategy pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Purpose

To present an updated draft Procurement and Contract Management Strategy for comment and consideration by Cabinet.

 

Recommendation

That Cabinet resolves to:

1)    Approve the updated Procurement and Contract Management Strategy and recommends it for approval by Council

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to present an updated draft Procurement and Contract Management Strategy for comment and consideration by Cabinet.

 

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Finance introduced the item, explaining that the purpose of the item was to increase the social benefit of the procurement Publica undertakes on the Council’s behalf. The Cabinet Member explained that the report had been looked at by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which had not made any recommendations, but clarified that the strategy was for how Publica procures on behalf of the partner Councils.

 

The Senior Procurement Business Partner explained that mandatory training for all staff members who undertake procurement would take place. The Cabinet also asked that training on procurement be extended to Members where appropriate.

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance mentioned that a figure was missing on page 81 of the agenda reports pack. The Senior Procurement Business Partner clarified that the Publica Councils have a combined annual spend of £26m.

 

Members welcomed the proposal, and sought further information on how the Council could ensure the strategy would deliver social value. The Senior Procurement Business Partner stated each contract was dealt with on a case by case basis, and that this could be monitored through contract management.

 

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Mike Evemy and upon being seconded, went to a vote.

 

RESOLVED: That Cabinet

1)    Approve the updated Procurement and Contract Management Strategy and recommends it for approval by Council

 

Record of Voting – For: 8, Against 0, Abstention 0, Absent: 0

 

For

Against

Absent

Abstentions

Claire Bloomer

 

 

 

Joe Harris

 

 

 

Juliet Layton

 

 

 

Lisa Spivey

 

 

 

Mike Evemy

 

 

 

Mike McKeown

 

 

 

Paul Hodgkinson

 

 

 

Tony Dale

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting: 11/07/2023 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 270)

270 Procurement and Contract Management Strategy - Draft for Consultation pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Purpose

 

To present Cabinet with an updated draft Procurement and Contract Management Strategy for comment and consideration by the Committee.

 

Recommendation

 

That Overview and Scrutiny Committee scrutinise the report and make any necessary recommendation to Cabinet.

 

Invited

 

Cllr Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance;

Ciaran Okane, Senior Procurement Business Partner

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report.

 

It was noted that further updates from the Government were expected to follow. This meant that the strategy needed to be an interim update this year. 

 

The Senior Procurement Officer, Ciaran Okane, addressed the Committee on the strategy.

 

The new strategy was required to be in line with new procurement regulations following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

 

The Committee raised the following points in discussion:

 

  • The procurement strategy in the context of Publica’s wider role within Cotswold District Council for providing services. Following a subsequent question about adding an explanation to the document, the Cabinet Member indicated that the request for additional clarity would be considered as part of the presentation or to the minutes of Cabinet and/or Council
  • The inclusion of considering social value in procurements.
  • The balance between considering environmentally sustainable procurement options and cost.
  • Accountability with a need to hold providers to account.

 

The Chair summarised that it was a timely report, and noted that it was important that public money should always be managed carefully alongside delivering services to residents.

 

There were no recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Committee, but the Chair thanked the officer for the report.

 

RESOLVED: The Committee NOTED the report.

 

 

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