Agenda and minutes

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor J McKenna.  Councillor M Harland substituted.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2015 be confirmed as a correct record.

To consider a report of the Chief Officer of Projects Programmes & Procurement Unit (PPPU) in relation to procurement and contract management.

The Chief Officer, Projects Programmes and Procurement and the Chief Officer Parks and Countryside submitted a joint report detailing work undertaken to manage waivers, extensions and contract management and also efforts made to reduce off and non-contract spend.

The following were in attendance to respond to Members’ questions:

-  David Outram, Chief Officer, Projects Programmes and Procurement

-  Sean Flesher, Chief Officer, Parks and Countryside

-  Louise Hornsey, Principal Audit Manager.

In summary, the main areas of discussion were:

·  Background on the refreshed procurement policy, called ‘Effective procurement’.

·  Background information on the level of actual contract spend and number of contracts in the financial year across Directorates.

·  The respective roles and responsibilities of Directorates and the central procurement function.

·  The role of YORtender and its promotion locally.

·  Good practice around contract extensions and the findings of Internal Audit’s review of this area and their subsequent recommendations.

·  Good practice around waivers and the measures now in place to report and record waivers.

·  Non and off-contract spend and the ongoing work within PPPU to reducing non and off-contract spend.

·  The risks associated with non-contract spend including legal liabilities.

·  The amount of expenditure on non-contracts and the missed opportunities for savings.

·  The barriers faced by officers in making correct procurement decisions including internal resources.

·  Actions available to encourage Contract Procedure Rules compliance by officers.

·  Contract management and the organisation of contract management in the Council, including levels of training and scope to improve contract management within directorates through the encouragement of professional standards, career families for contract managers.

·  The added social worth of contracts and the Council’s ability to stipulate conditions.

·  The internal management of the Council’s commissioning processes and the acknowledgement that this was a separate item within the Board’s work schedule.

·  The use of P-Cards.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the Board notes the contents of the report

(ii)  That a working group be arranged, if possible, prior to the September meeting to continue scrutiny in this area

(iii)  That the Board writes to the Chief Officer HR with the recommendation that the concept of a career family for contract managers be investigated along with other training opportunities

(iv)  That additional information be obtained in relation to P-Cards

(v)  That additional information is obtained and the Council’s ability to stipulate certain conditions within contracts.

To consider the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2015/16 municipal year and to agree draft terms of reference for an inquiry into income generation.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which provided information regarding the Board’s work schedule.

Draft terms of reference were also submitted into an Inquiry into income generation. 

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the Board’s work schedule

(ii)  To agree terms of reference into an inquiry into income generation.

(iii)  That a working group be arranged, if possible, prior to the September meeting to continue scrutiny in relation to Effective Procurement and Contract Management.

Monday, 28 September 2015 at 10.00am (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30am)

Monday, 28 September 2015 at 10.00am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30am) 

(The meeting concluded at 11.30am).