Issue - meetings

To consider a proposed way forward for the procurement of apprenticeship training provision across the Council, ASDVs and maintained schools.

The Committee considered a report on a proposed way forward for the procurement of apprenticeship training provision across the Council, ASDVs and maintained schools, utilising the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) framework.

Members asked if there were other frameworks available, what break clauses would be included in the contract and why the Council would be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Officers responded that the proposed framework was used nationally by local authorities; the alternative would be for the Council to use its own framework which would involve having to enter into individual contracts with each provider. The YPO framework was fully compliant with Public Contracts Regulations 2015, provided an extensive list of providers and would reduce the current administrative burden on the Council. It was necessary to enter into a non-disclosure agreement for commercial reasons; this was a standard requirement. The information on break clauses was not available at the meeting but would be provided to members.

RESOLVED

That the Committee

1.    delegates authority to the Executive Director of Corporate Services to set the Council up to utilise the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) Framework – Apprenticeships and Associated Training 883 to award contracts, where possible, to training providers using YPO’s call off contract template, this requiring the Council to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement – Customer Access Agreement. Authority is further delegated to enable officers to utilise the replacement YPO framework scheduled for summer 2022 which will replace the existing version;

2.    authorises the Executive Director of Corporate Services to take all necessary actions to implement the proposal; and

3.    notes that it will receive a further update report on the strategic approach to apprenticeship delivery at the Council.