Issue - meetings

Report CSD22102

The report provided an update and overview to Members on Transforming Public Procurement, now being considered by Parliament as The Procurement Bill. The report also noted the need to update the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules in due course to ensure compliance with updated Regulations; and it recommended the development of a formal ‘Local Procurement Priorities’ policy document as a side document to ‘Making Bromley Even Better’.

In response to a question concerning the additional pressure on capacity, resource and planning, the Assistant Director for Governance and Contracts confirmed that there had not yet been any mention of additional funding to support the requirements of the Procurement Bill although the final details and additional actions had not yet been received.  At the moment the Council had no plans to commit additional resource, the initial focus would be to establish regular, simple processes to manage notices.  Every opportunity needed to be explored to provide efficient processes and to manage the new requirements appropriately.

The Committee noted that there were currently no specific timescales for the local priorities document as it would depend on the nature of consultation with Members.  Officers would work to deliver the local priorities document as soon as possible however it was important that the document also reflected the Procurement Bill.

In response to a question, the Assistant Director for Governance and Contracts confirmed that the Procurement Bill did seek to make it easier to take account of the past performance of a contractor, although it was also possible under the current arrangements.

The Assistant Director for Governance and Contracts also confirmed that the CIPFA guidelines of a 60% price and 40% quality split for contracts was within the current Contract Procedure Rules and would be the starting point for any new Contract Procedure Rules.

RESOLVED: That the Portfolio Holder be recommended to note the update on Transforming Public Procurement; and to agree the proposed approach for both the development of ‘Bromley Local Procurement Priorities’ as set out in paragraphs 3.23 to 3.30 of the report and the update of the Councils Contract Procedure Rules as set out in paragraphs 3.31 to 3.37 of the report.