The Strategic Director, Corporate Resources will submit Document “AL” which provides details of the annual review of the Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders sections of the Council’s Constitution and makes recommendations for their amendment.

Recommended-

That the proposed changes to Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations (detailed in Document “AL”) be accepted and recommended to Council for approval to support improvements in the organisation’s financial and procurement processes and procedures.

                                                            (Ian Westlake – 07971 540171)

Resolved-

That the proposed changes to Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations (detailed in Document “AL”) be accepted and recommended to Council for approval to support improvements in the organisation’s financial and procurement processes and procedures.

Action:  Strategic Director, Corporate Services

                                                            (Ian Westlake – 07971 540171)

The Strategic Director, Corporate Resources submitted Document “AL” which provided details of the annual review of the Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders sections of the Council’s Constitution and made recommendations for their amendment.

Members made the following comments:

·         Why the definition Best Value for Money was now only Best Value?

·         EU Thresholds was now Thresholds – would monetary definition remain linked to EU currency equivalent.

·         Contracts of £2m and above should be reported to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee – submitting reports to the relevant Committee for consideration in a timely manner was welcomed.

·         Overview and Scrutiny Committees could be provided with guidance as to the capacity in which such contracts were being considered as Scrutiny Committees did not have decision making powers in relation to them.

In response to Members’ questions it was reported that the removal of “for money” was on the advice of Legal Services to bring it in line with the Best Value duty; government legislation would give further clarity in 2022 in relation to thresholds for procurement; contracts of £2m and above should be submitted to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee in a timely manner. 

It was suggested that it would be more appropriate if the consideration of contracts of £2m was undertaken by Executive who had decision making powers and would be subject to call-in.

Members of the Committee felt it was important that Overview and Scrutiny Committees continue to be informed of contracts of £2m and above.

It was reported that it might not serve any useful purpose for such contracts to be considered by the Executive, as Executive recommended the budget and  considered contracts in the context of projects and it might therefore be a duplication of consideration.

Resolved-

That the proposed changes to Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations (detailed in Document “AL”) be accepted and recommended to Council for approval to support improvements in the organisation’s financial and procurement processes and procedures.

Action:  Strategic Director, Corporate Services