PAPER D

Committee : RESOURCES SELECT COMMITTEE

Date : 20 NOVEMBER 2002

Title : PROCUREMENT BEST VALUE REVIEW

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF SELECT COMMITTEE AND BEST VALUE SUPPORT

PURPOSE

To decide how best to take forward the proposed Best Value review of Procurement.

BACKGROUND

After consideration by Select Committees and Directors Group, the Executive approved a programme of Best Value reviews. This included a wide-ranging review of Procurement, to be begun this autumn.

During the period of agreeing the review programme, a Procurement Strategy, and action plan, were developed, and are now in the process of being considered by Executive.

The strategy and action plan deal with a number of the issues which would be addressed by a Best Value review, which could reduce the required scope of the review, or remove the necessity for it at all. It could be a waste of resources to carry out a BV review at the moment, instead of concentrating on putting the proposals into action.

The decision rests on whether the strategy (and action plan) address all, or most, of the major issues which a review would have considered.

OPTIONS

1. Carry out a full Best Value review

2. Establish an Appraisal Group to draw up a scope for what should be included in a full Best Value review. The Group would then compare the issues raised in the scope with the new strategy & action plan, to decide whether the major areas have been addressed.

They would then decide whether

(a) a full review is necessary

(b) a more focused review should be carried out, just looking at the major areas which

are felt to have been missed or

(c) that no review is necessary at this stage.

3. Decide not to carry out a review at this stage.

RECOMMENDATION

To adopt Option 2.

If either Options 1 or 2 are adopted, then interested members are sought to help form the Appraisal Group, along with the Executive portfolio holder and Unison representatives.

If Option 3 is adopted, the decision would need to be referred back to the Executive.

Contact Point: Steve Milford and Don Roe

Best Value Review Unit

ALISTAIR DRAIN

Head of Select Committee and Best Value Support