Issue - meetings

Report CSD16141

The Contracts Sub-Committee was established by the Executive and Resources PDS Committee in May 2016, with the following terms of reference:

“To undertake the policy development and scrutiny role in respect of the Council’s commissioning and contracts functions (whilst respecting the responsibilities of service PDS Committees) and report to Executive and Resources PDS Committee as appropriate.”

Further consideration had been given to these terms of reference with a view to clarifying the Sub-Committee’s role.  The Chairman stressed that the role of the Sub-Committee was to review contracts that could teach the Council and its Members something, such as lessons learnt.  The Chairman stated that he was not convinced that service PDS Committees were reviewing the contracts register for their services on a regular basis.  He stressed the need to ensure that the Contracts Sub-Committee did not become a repository for all contract issues as a result of the service PDS Committee not adequately fulfilling their responsibilities in terms of scrutiny of the contracts register.  This view was endorsed by the Sub-Committee Members who agreed that the contracts register should be regularly reviewed by the PDS Committees.

Following detailed consideration, it was agreed that the Sub-Committee should recommended the adoption of the proposed terms of reference for the Contracts Sub-Committee to the Executive and Resources PDS Committee:

“To undertake the policy development and scrutiny role in respect of the Council’s commissioning and contracts functions (whilst respecting the responsibilities of service PDS Committees) and report to Executive and Resources PDS Committee as appropriate.

This will include –

• promoting best practice across the Council on commissioning, contracts and contract monitoring issues;

• reviewing the corporate contracts register and in particular the “commissioning journey” for contracts with a value of £500,000 and above, or any contracts where there is a defined risk,  making recommendations as appropriate;

• considering contracts issues raised by the Executive, Policy Development and Scrutiny Committees and the Audit Sub-Committee;

• making recommendations to Audit Sub-Committee on the Contract Procedure Rules;

• making any other contractual related recommendations to the Chief Executive and the Executive as appropriate.” 

RESOLVED: That the Executive and Resources PDS Committee be recommended to approve the amended terms of reference for the Contracts Sub-Committee.