Issue - meetings

(Director of Communities) To consider the attached report and appendix.

The Working Group received a report regarding Review of Contract Standing Orders from the Assistant Director (Governance and Performance Management).

The Corporate Governance Group, had previously considered the difficulty that many staff procuring contracts for the Council had in following and complying with Contract Standing Orders. Accordingly, the Council’s Management Board had determined that a new officer working group should be established, chaired by the Director of Communities, to fundamentally review the Council’s Contract Standing Order and formulate new ones for consideration by the Constitution Working Group and make onward recommendation to the Council. This would form part of the comprehensive review of the whole of the Council’s Constitution.

It was advised that the Working Party would report on the proposed new Contract Standing Orders to the Constitution Working Group in time for approval with the rest of the revised Constitution by March 2016. It was noted that consideration of the report and recommendations of the Working Party had been added to the Constitution Working Group’s Work Programme for 2015/16.

RESOLVED:

That the following be noted:

(1)  The formation of an officer Contract Standing Orders Working Party, chaired by the Director of Communities, to fundamentally review the Council’s Contract Standing Orders and formulate new ones that:

(a)  Adopt a more modern and flexible approach;

(b)  Were simpler to understand and comply with;

(c)  Were more responsive to the current and future procurement needs of the Council;

(d)  Met current EU Procurement Regulations; and

(e)  Ensured appropriate controls and probity to safeguard the use of public money.

(2)  The Terms of Reference of the Contract Standing Orders Working Party set by the Management Board proposed reporting arrangements and timescales; and

(3)  That consideration of the report and recommendations of the Working Party be added to the Constitution Working Group’s Work Programme for the 26 January 2016 Working Group meeting.