Issue - meetings

To receive a report regarding a review of proposed additions to the Procurement and Contracts Rules and Procedures in the Council’s Constitution.

The Committee received a report detailing proposed changes to the Procurement Regulations within the Constitution.

During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

·         Members were reminded that the Council’s Procurement and Contracts Rules and Procedures (PCRP) had been developed in response to the new Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR2015) and formally adopted as Chapter 13 of the Constitution in November 2015.

·         It was noted that from the 1 April 2018 the Council would be adopting e-procurement software in order to comply with mandatory requirements within PCR2015.  This would also improve the procurement process. 

·         The Committee was advised that the introduction of e-procurement software would necessitate two substantive changes to the Constitution;

Ø  Removal of the provisions relating to tender openings;

Ø  The introduction of a threshold for tenders between £5k and £50k to mandate the use of electronic ‘Quick Quotes’.

·         Councillor Bray noted that it was proposed that ‘Service area to add contract data to central contracts register’ for contracts under £5,000, be removed from the Constitution.  The Strategy and Commissioning Support Manager commented that this was in line with the Council’s transparency requirements.  Contracts with a value over £5,000 would automatically be populated by an electronic contract register.  For contracts under £5,000 these would be via a purchase order.

RESOLVED:  That the changes detailed within the report to the Council’s Procurement and Contracts Rules and Procedures which form part of the Council’s Constitution (Chapter 13) be recommended to Council, via the Constitution Review Working Group.