Issue - meetings

To submit the report of the Head of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer.

It was RESOLVED to recommend to the full County Council that Council approves the new Contract Procedure Rules and delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to incorporate the new Contract Procedure Rules (‘CPRs’) into the Constitution.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer in relation to the above.

The Head of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer reported that the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules (CPR) set out the framework under which all procurement activity is undertaken.  The current CPR requires updating and the reasons were set out within the report. 

Councillor R. Meirion Jones stated that whilst he welcomed the amended version of the Contract Procedure Rules however he would have likely to have seen a reference that the Council gives priority to local businesses.  He further referred to the heading ‘Exceptions’ at 4.9.3 of Appendix 1 – he considered that the Executive should reserve authority if Officers disagree on a particular matter.  The Head of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer responded that a guide on public procurement has been published for Members on the Council’s website which explains in the introduction the Council’s legal obligation as a best value authority which means that there are limitations on favouring local businesses in the procurement arena.  She stated that she would discuss with Councillor Jones the changes to the public regulations 2015 in due course.

It was RESOLVED to recommend to the full County Council that Council approves the new Contract Procedure Rules and delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to incorporate the new Contract Procedure Rules (‘CPRs’) into the Constitution.