Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Angela Wilkins – Councillor Ian Dunn attended as her substitute.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th February 2018, excluding exempt information, be confirmed.

Report CSD18063

The Sub-Committee discussed the late withdrawal of Bromley Healthcare from the Reablement contract due to the issue of pension liability. The chairman suggested a special meeting in June, before the first scheduled meeting in the new Council year, to consider what could be learnt from this for future commissioning. It was important that Bromley Healthcare, who were willing to attend, understood the role of scrutiny and the intention to learn from these events. Members were keen to see relevant papers in advance, including the letter from Bromley Healthcare. 

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions to the Chairman of this Sub-Committee must be received in writing 4 working days before the date of the meeting.  Therefore please ensure questions are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Friday 23^rd March 2018.

No questions had been received.

Report CEO1640

The Sub-Committee received the March 2018 Corporate Contracts Register. Detailed scrutiny of individual contracts was the responsibility of the six PDS Committees but Contracts Sub-Committee took an overview of the Council’s larger value (£200k+) contracts to ensure that commissioning and procurement activity was progressed in a consistent manner. A part 2 version of the Contracts Register included a commentary on each contract to inform Members of any issues or developments.

The report also updated Members on progress with the Council’s Contract Database (which generated the Contract Registers, among other things). The last element of the system was to add alerts, and this was intended to be operational by August. A further demonstration of the system could be arranged for a meeting later in the year when the alerts system was in place. It was confirmed that managers were encouraged to add smaller contracts to the system below the main thresholds.

The chairman suggested that Commissioning needed to be part of the Members Induction Programme after the local elections in May.

Officers reported that the waste contract had been signed the previous day, £170k would be received back from the contractor and 28 change controls had been signed off. It was proposed that a report be made to Members on change controls.   

RESOLVED that

(1) It is noted that the Contract Register forms part of the Council’s commitment to data transparency and that the Contract Register presented in Part 2 includes a commentary – elements of which may be commercially sensitive.

(2) The content of the report, including progress regarding the Contract Database, be noted.

Report CSD18051

The Sub-Committee considered its work programme, including the proposed special meeting in June and the Contracts Database presentation with Executive and Resources PDS.

It was suggested that the Sub-Committee consider how services were bundled together to create efficiencies or split into smaller portions to assist local companies to tender and boost the local economy. It was accepted that multiple smaller contracts might require more monitoring and could be more expensive, but it was also pointed out that the effect of a major contractor failing was likely to be more severe.

A Member commented that the EU Procurement Rules were too complex and anti-competitive, and suggested discussing how they might be affected by Brexit.  

RESOLVED that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business referred to below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

The following summaries

refer to matters

involving exempt information

The Sub-Committee considered the service specification for the contract for Provision of Primary and Secondary Care and Health Intervention Services.

The Sub-Committee received extracts from the Contracts Register that included part 2 information.

The exempt minutes of the meeting held on 6^th February 2018 were  confirmed.