This policy provides an overview of our approach to procurement of works, services and supplies to achieve our corporate objectives. The policy is to be read in conjunction with our Procurement Code of Practice.
Where we want to be
Our Council’s Aim is to make the district great - a great place to live, work and visit. Our objectives are clearly linked to the community’s vision for the future set out in the Community Strategy. We share this vision. Our nine priority areas are:
Procurement generally
We are committed to achieving the highest standards of quality in all of our services and establishing a robust procurement and monitoring procedure to ensure the ongoing delivery of Best Value works, services and supplies from wherever they are sourced.
We require all involved in the procurement process to adhere to and promote the principles of Best Value Procurement to achieve the optimum combination of whole life costs and benefits to meet the customers’ requirements.
We require all services to demonstrate:
We consider the following to be essential elements of any procurement exercise irrespective of the approach being adopted to competition:
How we deliver
We acknowledge the importance of innovation and partnerships in delivering best value – partnership with the private and voluntary sectors, partnership with other public bodies acting locally, and partnership with central government itself.
We are committed to providing quality services through a mixed economy of service provision, with access to a wide range of varying sized suppliers.
We recognise the need to stimulate the market by the creative use of buying power.
The process of carrying out fundamental performance reviews will foster an open and constructive dialogue with all those involved or who may have something to offer from within the Council itself, or through partnership arrangements with the private and/or voluntary sectors.
We encourage the development of new and innovative methods or approaches to procurement that will deliver services more efficiently, effectively and economically. Through our IEG strategy, we are committed to the development of an appropriate E-Procurement system.
We will ensure that all contracts which involve a transfer of staff comply with the Code of Practice on Workforce Matters in Local Authority Service Contracts.
The approach to in-house service delivery
We believe that in house services can provide a high quality, flexible framework for developing and delivering services. We will rigorously scrutinise in house providers to ensure an appropriate balance between being best on quality, equality, value for money, service and employment and environmental practices. To demonstrate this, the in-house providers must embrace and demonstrate achievement of the principles of continuous improvement.
Monitoring
We will ensure that adequate resources are identified within the procurement process and are provided throughout the life of the procured arrangements to ensure that all procurement activities achieve the declared objectives and deliver continuous improvement and best value for money.
Scrutiny
Each stage of procurement will be subject to appropriate scrutiny. These stages include but are not limited to:
Review
Services already subject to direct competition will be continually reviewed against the requirements of this policy, to ensure that the manner in which the service is provided remains the most appropriate to deliver best value for money.
Please see 'Procurement Contacts' for a list of procurement contact details.