Decision details

The Sub-Committee considered a report which provided an update on the pipeline of procurement activity, the contracts awarded this fiscal year, and the number of cases where, and reasons why, procurement activity had required the use of waivers.

The detailed waivers referred to in the report would be considered in Part 2 of the meeting.

A meeting of the Procurement Working Group had been held on 5^th January 2024. Councillor M Gorman, as spokesperson for the Group, reported that the Group had focussed on risk and value for money, and had looked particularly at procurement over the last 12 months. The Group had asked for a further meeting to consider the boundary between statutory and non-statutory procurement, and the ability for the Council to operate a break clause, where appropriate, in contracts as a way of achieving savings. Councillor Clowes, who also attended the Group meeting, added that members had also asked to consider contracts that ‘go wrong’ to ensure that the processes for dealing with them were robust.

Councillor Clowes asked for further information on two items in Appendix 2 to the report, items C1600 and C1602, which related to insurance policies. The Head of Procurement undertook to provide a written response to all members of the Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the Sub-Committee

1.   approves the 3 pipeline projects in Appendix 1, column H of the report as business as usual;

2.   notes the reason for 1 waiver approved between 1^st September 2023 and 31^st December 2023 (5 in total in 2023/24);

3.   notes the contracts awarded since April 2023, Appendix 2;

4.   notes the change to the public procurement legislation (paragraph 17 of the report), Public Contract Regulations 2023 and Provider Selection Regime; and

5.   notes the feedback from the Procurement Working Group.