Issue - meetings

Cabinet

1.            considered and approved, without amendments, the recommendations set out in paragraphs 11 to 34 of the report from the Interim Executive Director; and

2.            requested that progress against any agreed recommendations be reviewed in 12 months’ time.

This decision was first published on 7 March and so the deadline for call-in is 5pm on Thursday 14 March.

Cabinet

1.            considered and approved, without amendments, the recommendations set out in paragraphs 11 to 34 of the report from the Interim Executive Director; and

2.            requested that progress against any agreed recommendations be reviewed in 12 months’ time.

Cabinet considered a report outlining the findings of the Barriers to Council Procurement from Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Task and Finish Group.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee had expressed satisfaction with the recommendations, although Councillor Brian Milnes (Vice-Chairman, Scrutiny and Overview Committee) remained frustrated that the constraints of local government prevented South Cambridgeshire District Council from doing more to help the situation.

Cabinet

1.            approved, without amendments, the following recommendations from the Task and Finish Group, as set out in greater detail in paragraphs 11 to 34 of the report from the Interim Executive Director, namely

(a)  to review and simplify the tendering documentation for council contracts below the EU Procurement Thresholds (Supply, Services and Design Contracts £181,302, Works £4,551,413);

(b)  To develop, promote and run a minimum of two procurement workshops for local SMEs during 2019;

(c)   To investigate how SCDC could increase awareness of contract opportunities locally whilst complying with the UK Regulations;

(d)  To review and update the council’s procurement web pages to ensure that they are ‘SME friendly’;

(e)  To work with the Sustainable Communities and Wellbeing team to develop a series of potential ‘social value’ examples;

(f)    To review the late payment of invoices with the South Cambridgeshire District Council’s accountancy team; and

(g)  To hold a Member Briefing on the changes that are being made to the council’s procurement process; and

2.            requested that progress against any agreed recommendations be reviewed in 12 months’ time.