Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director Finance.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the themes and outcomes set out in the Devon Districts Procurement Strategy 2023-2027.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report which sought Council approval for to adopt the Devon Districts Procurement Strategy, which would continue to support the corporate approach to Procurement and strengthen the Council’s available collaborative opportunities.

Members were advised that this was the fourth joint strategy with the other Devon districts and was based on national procurement recommendations. Members were referred to the three key themes for 2023-2025 period and the 2019-2022 key outcomes outlined in the report.

Councillor Moore, as an opposition group leader, welcomed the updated strategy and enquired on the low scoring for climate change and how it would be monitored and progressed by the partner authorities.

Councillor Jobson, as an opposition group leader, enquired on whether a Councillor briefing will be undertaken as part of the engagement with Councillors?

Councillor M. Mitchell, as an opposition group leader, enquired if there was an inter authority procurement policy for delivering value for money to save the Council money in the longer term?

Executive Members debated the report and made the following points:

·         Ensuring a Councillor training or briefing session on procurement would be welcomed.

·         How was the minimum of 5% weighting on social value tenders measured?

·         The three key themes outlined in the report supported achieving community benefits.

·         The level of partnership across the authorities to ensure value for money was welcomed.

·         Sections 14 and 15 of the report outlined the impacts to the carbon footprint and whether the Council was creating social value.

The Service Lead for Commercial and Procurement  advised that, this was a high-level strategy involving four organisations with different priorities. However, each individual council would make their own action plan under the strategy, detailing what they were going to deliver.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve the themes and outcomes set out in the Devon Districts Procurement Strategy 2023-2027.