Procurement strategy

Our Procurement Strategy and Rules for Contracts are the overarching principles for procurement delivery in the Council.

Procurement vision

We work together with stakeholders, businesses and residents with the aim to enhance lives within our communities. We will achieve this by:

• understanding future demand for service provision through engagement
• identifying innovative procurement best practice and updating our ways of working to continuously improve
• working closely with partners to enhance lives
• understanding markets through research and market engagement events
• placing social and economic regeneration and the environment at the heart of procurement
• supporting supplier development and accessibility to be able to procure from a diverse and competitive mixed economy of suppliers including minority businesses, voluntary and community sector groups, small businesses and social enterprises
• supporting Members’ leadership to embed procurement excellence into the culture of the Council
• innovating through the identification of appropriate service delivery options
• driving down procurement costs
• minimising exposure to risk
• maintaining procurement as a key management activity, delivery projects through multifunctional teams
• equipping staff with the right skills and training to deliver excellence
• using procurement processes and in particular digital technology to support organisational and behavioural change
• being customer focussed using internal consultation and involvement to support service outcomes and improve performance
• complying with legislation relating to procurement activity
• working with public partners regionally and nationally to benefit from economies of scale and shared expertise

Leadership and responsibility

The Cabinet Member for Resources holds the portfolio for all contractual matters. However, where a procurement is required because of service changes, reports are taken to the relevant portfolio holder for decision or to full Cabinet where the service is supported by more than one Directorate.

At officer level, leadership and decision making happens through the procurement board, chaired by the Chief Executive. Reports are taken to the procurement board on the proposed route to market for all expenditure over £179,000.

Procurement board also receive quarterly performance reports on procurement related issues across the Council.

Individual officers are aware of their procurement responsibilities through the Rules for Contracts which is summarised in the compliant procurement process.

Rules and best practice

The Local Government Act 1972 requires the Council to have standing orders with respect to the making of contracts. The Council’s Rules for Contracts are the standing orders required by the 1972 Act. They're part of the Council’s Constitution and are, in effect, the instructions of the Council to officers and members for making contracts on behalf of the Council.

The purpose of the Rules for Contracts is to:

• set clear procedures for the procurement of works, supplies and services by the Council
• ensure a system of openness, integrity and accountability in which the probity and transparency of the Council’s procurement process will be beyond reproach

The Council has a Procurement Strategy setting out how the Council intends to go about procuring works, supplies and services. Conformity to these Rules for Contracts and the Council’s Codes of Conduct will ensure that contracts are let in accordance with the procurement strategy, the compliant procurement process and associated user guides and procedures.

The Council is subject also to the Procurement Act 2023 and The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

This legislation requires contract letting procedures to be open, fair and transparent. The Rules for Contracts provide a basis for true and fair competition in contracts by providing clear and auditable procedures which, if followed, will ensure the Council is fully accountable and compliant with the legislation.