Issue - meetings

This report sets out a revised set of Contract Procedure Rules to replace those that currently form Chapter 4, Part 7 of Medway Council’s Constitution.

Background:

This report set out a revised set of Contract Procedure Rules to replace those that currently formed Chapter 4, Part 7 of Medway Council’s Constitution. In particular, it was proposed to increase the value at which Medway’s Procurement Board level governance would apply for the current figures.

The report explained that purchasing value had diminished over time and become prohibitive in nature and as contracts had become larger and more sophisticated. It was proposed to increase the figures to the current value at which the Public Contracts Regulations applied as well as introducing further measures for accountability through the entire procurement process.

The Audit Committee had considered the report at its meeting on 10 January 2023 and its comments were set out in section 5 of the report. The report had also been considered by the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2023 and its comments were set out in section 6 of the report. The Cabinet considered the report on 7 February 2023, details of which were set out in section 7 of the report.

The Portfolio Holder for Resources, Councillor Gulvin, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Adults’ Services, Councillor Brake, proposed the recommendations as set out in the report.

Decision:

a)    The Council noted the comments of the Audit Committee set out at section 5 of the report, the comments of the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee set out at section 6 of the report and the comments and decision of the Cabinet set out at section 7 of the report.

b)    The Council approved the revised Contract Procedure Rules as set out at Appendix 2 to the report.

c)    The Council agreed to delegate authority to the Assistant Director, Legal and Governance to enact the revised contract procedure rules, when appropriate, no earlier than 1 April 2023.

Background:

This report provided details of proposed changes to the Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs) to replace those that currently formed Chapter 4, Part 7 of Medway Council’s Constitution. In particular, it was proposed to increase the value at which Medway’s procurement board level governance would apply for the current figures.

The report explained that purchasing value had diminished over time and become prohibitive in nature and as contracts had become larger and more sophisticated. It was proposed to increase the figures to the current value at which the Public Contracts Regulations applied as well as introducing further measures for accountability through the entire procurement process.

The Audit Committee had considered the report at its meeting on 10 January 2023 and its comments were set out in section 5 of the report. The report had also been considered by the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2023 and its comments were set out in an Addendum Report.

It was noted that the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee had requested that Cabinet instruct officers to explore the benefits and requirements of elected Members having a DBS check. Although some support was expressed, the recommendation was not considered to be relevant to the Contract Procedure Rules report considered by Cabinet.

Reasons:

The revised suite simplifies the terminology used for better end user engagement, improves accountability across the various layers of the organisation as well as updates thresholds at which procurement board level governance applies to procurement activity.