Agenda and minutes

In the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair, Councillor Trimble chaired the meeting.

Councillor Nicola Heaton – personal

Councillor David Mellen – other council business

Councillor Alex Norris – other council business

Councillor Jane Urquhart – work commitments

Maria Ward (Nottingham Community and Voluntary Services)

None.

Of the meeting held on 14 December 2016 (for confirmation).

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Jules Sebelin, Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS), updated the Sub Committee on the Voluntary and Community sector, as per the update sheet circulated with the minutes.

Jules also advised the Sub Committee that the Cooperative Bank appear to be threatening account closure for organisations with asylum seekers on their boards. NCVS is directing these organisations towards legal help and investigating the issue further.

Katy Ball, Director of Procurement and Children’s Commissioning, expanded on the Council’s use of Social Investment for projects to support children in care. With the expansion of “payment by results” funding models, the risk is with the supplier – even if the project is not successful through no fault of their own, they will not get paid. With Social Investment, the funding comes from elsewhere (such as Big Lottery funding) and the risk is with the investor – the provider will still get paid.

RESOLVED to thank Jules Sebelin for the update and note its contents.

Report of the Corporate Director for Strategy and Resources / Assistant Chief Executive

Ruby Bhattal, Head of Communications and Marketing, presented a report on the printing framework, highlighting the following points:

(a)  the last time the printing framework was renewed was in April 2014 and this is due to expire at the end of March 2017. A new framework needs to be in place beyond then to be compliant with EU legislation. One positive is the reduction in cost through the existing framework due to a reduction in the items printed; some things still require printing though, such as signage;

(b)  there is an opportunity to integrate additional requirement that weren’t included at the last framework, and Nottingham City Homes print requirements are also being incorporated. Jobs will be offered as smaller lots so that smaller businesses can bid as well;

(c)  the new framework will also serve to remind Nottingham City Council colleagues that we have central print and all print requirements should be procured through that;

(d)  it is a 4 year framework, but with no obligation or penalty.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  undertake an EU compliant tendering process for the procurement of a multi-supplier framework for print services, through the council’s tendering system, noting that this framework is for four years and has an estimated value of £2,400,000;

(2)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Strategy and Resources/Assistant Chief Executive to approve the outcome of the tendering process and delegate the formal award of the contracts to the Head of Service for Communications and Marketing.

Reasons for decision

(1)  This council wide print framework will continue to seek to include the requirements of Nottingham City Homes together with print requirements across the City Council. A single corporate print framework will facilitate the overall embedding of the corporate standard for print across the Council and reduce print production where possible;

(2)  The procurement process has the potential to increase opportunities for local suppliers as far as the procurement rules allow. The framework is to be divided into a number of lots for differing printing requirements. This is a method of making the requirement more attractive to small and medium, enterprises (SMEs) and is an important focus in the new EU Procurement Directive as a preferred procurement route.

Other options considered

There is an option to extend the current contract, but this would not provide a solution for bus literature or vehicle graphics.  In addition some of these suppliers on the existing framework have gone into administration and therefore there is not enough resilience to sustain all services through the existing framework for a further two years (the extension period). Therefore this option was rejected.

Report of Corporate Director Commercial and Operations

Alex Cox, Commercialisation and Contracts Manager, presented a report on procuring a new debt management system, highlighting the following points:

(a)  the report seeks authority to procure a new debt management system behind penalty charge notices. A new system gives an opportunity to integrate into the Firm Step system, so that citizens can access details online, pay online and challenge online if needs be;

(b)  the report also seeks authority to procure or lease associated hardware, such as handheld devices and printers;

(c)  contained within the contract is a replacement programme for bus lane enforcement cameras;

(d)  Nottingham City Council currently administer Leicester City Council's bus lane enforcement programme. The new contract will allow us to expand this offer if we would like to other areas. Firm Step has the ability to integrate with other councils’ systems.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  go out to tender for a debt management system and hardware up to the total value set out in the exempt appendix to the report;

(2)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Commercial and Operations, to authorise the winning provider resulting from the tender process and to enter into a contract for the provision of a new debt management system and associated equipment.

Reasons for decision

(1)  The current contract is due to expire in January 2017.

(2)  The current need to tender for a new system has offered the opportunity to review the system requirements for the future and to work across the department to develop a system that automates the PCN process.  The department is also taking the opportunity to require the integration of the new system with the Council’s Firm Step CRM software and offer a more customer focused approach.

(3)  Authority is required in accordance with Councils constitution to award the contract to the winning provider.

Other options considered

Not to complete a competitive re-tender process. If Nottingham City Council does not re-tender, it will be out of contract.  Due to the value of the project a competitive tender procedure is required in accordance with EU procurement regulations. For this reason, this option was rejected.

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining items in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, as defined in paragraph 3 of part 1, Schedule 12A of the Act.

As per item 51, above.