Decision details

A Review of the Council's "Think Local" Procurement Strategy

(1) To NOTE the progress report on implementing the Councils “Think Local” Procurement Strategy;

(2) To NOTE the intention to revise the Council’s Contract Standing Orders to reflect the implementation of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and other legislation, including Revising financial limits to provide local businesses with the opportunity to obtain contracts up to £50,000;

(3) To NOTE the draft Selling to the Council Guide; and

(4) To ADOPT the Social Value Policy to ensure that the Council meets its statutory requirements under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.

The policy is an essential guide to how officers need to conduct their commissioning and procurement activities over the coming years. Following extensive consultation it represents the identified actions this Council will need to adopt in order to comply with its own financial and organisational objectives and to comply with new national regulatory requirements that have either just been introduced or which are about to be introduced.  As well as ensuring the Council complies with statutory obligations it will strengthen the Council’s position around the delivery of its local objective relating to Economic Development and Health and Wellbeing.  There are other wider benefits to society of increasing the social mobility of an individual in economic terms, through elevated tax revenues and decreasing pressures on health and education services.

The Policy is required to clarify how the Council will meet its statutory responsibilities therefore other options were not explored at this time.  It will be incorporated into the Council’s Contract Standing Orders once the 2014 EU Procurement Directives are transposed into UK national legislation in early 2015.