Minutes:
The Assistant Director for Governance and Contracts (Mr Laurence Downes) presented a paper concerning the document storage function of the Contracts Database (CDB). The Chairman was also interested to learn more about the progress being made with the population of the database.
Mr Downes reported that the Contracts Database (CDB) should be used to store key contract documents. This was important for reasons concerning compliance, audit and organisation—so that documents could be located swiftly and efficiently if required. He had undertaken two sample checks on the database between November 2018 and March 2019, and these had shown significant improvements in the use of the document storage facility. If there were gaps, these related primarily to older contracts. It was explained that if a document was not currently located on the database, it was not an indication that the document did not exist.
The Assistant Director for Governance and Contracts referred to two pie charts in the document that related to:
· Contract Documents for all Portfolios as at March 2019
· Authorisation Documents for all Portfolios as at March 2019
The Committee was pleased to note that the sample showed that 95% of key contract documents had been uploaded and 84% of authorisation documents had been uploaded. The Assistant Director commented that there may not be added value in applying resources to follow up older contracts where they may be due for retender soon in any case. He intended to seek full compliance for all contracts from April 2017.
The Chairman expressed the view that the PDS Committees could not do their jobs properly without a properly updated Contracts Register. The Chairman was pleased with the progress that had been made. The Chairman of the ER&C PDS Committee asked that a further sample check report concerning progress made with the full population of the CDB in relation to contract documents only, be submitted to the July 2019 Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee.
The Chairman stated that as the PP&E PDS Committee and the RR&H PDS Committee had fewer contracts in their portfolio, compliance should be able to be achieved more quickly in these areas.
The Chairman of the ER&C PDS Committee felt that it was important to access the contract documentation for old contracts as well as the new contracts. The Chairman responded that whilst this was important, the most important thing was that officers had access to all of the live and current contracts to work from. The Assistant Director for Governance and Contracts commented that he would take a view on the life time of the contracts, and when they were due for renewal and re-tender.
Committee members agreed that if officers did not provide the relevant documents so that they could be added to the contracts database, then there should be some form of accountability. A discussion followed about who should be held accountable and asked to attend the ER&C PDS in these circumstances.
RESOLVED that:
1) Officers should be requested to provide contract documentation for inclusion in the contracts database as soon as possible.
2) In cases where the relevant documentation was not provided, based on a further sample check, then the responsible Director or Assistant Director should be invited to attend the ER&C PDS Committee to explain why this was the case.
3) The Head of Performance and Corporate Contracts check if Members now had access to the CDB, and would arrange relevant training for Members as required.
4) A further sample check report concerning the progress made with the full population of the CDB is submitted to the July 2019 ER&C PDS Committee.
Post Meeting Note: Resolution 3
The Head of Performance and Corporate Contracts has confirmed that Members can access the Contracts Database and will be arranging a training session for Members.