Agenda item

Report of Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services

Stephen Chartres, Performance and Improvement Manager, presented the report and stated the following:

a)  the report sought approval to continue the Council’s membership of the East Midlands and Mid Anglia (EMMA) libraries stock consortium with 8 other library authorities (Cambridgeshire, Derby City, Derbyshire, Leicester City, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Peterborough and Rutland);

b)  working as a consortium allowed member library services to combine their spending power to gain significant discounts on the majority of book stock items purchased, achieving best value and maximising library budgets;

c)  the proposal was for Nottinghamshire County Council to lead and manage the procurement process and provide legal advice, for which each participating authority would pay agreed fees. This would be beneficial to the Council by providing a saving on staff resource and time;

d)  the proposed contract period would be for 4 years, with 2 possible extension periods of 1+1 years, and would commence on 1 April 2024, making a maximum contract period of 6 years;

e)  once suppliers had been agreed and a framework agreement signed, each authority would then enter into separate order and call-off contract agreements.

Resolved to

(1)  approve participation by Nottingham City Council in the procurement, to be led by Nottinghamshire County Council, of a new consortium-based framework agreement (for a period of 4+1+1 years) for the provision of books for loan and reference via the 15 public libraries across Nottingham and on behalf of HMP Nottingham Prison Library;

(2)  delegate authority to the Head of Culture and Libraries to sign and award the contract to the successful provider following the procurement process, and any associated orders for the Council for the purchase of adult and children's books, entering individual call-off contracts for the term of the agreement.

Reasons for recommendations

a)  To procure the City’s Library Service book supply contract, through a consortium approach, allows member library services to combine their spending power to gain significant discounts on most items purchased, achieving best value for the Council and maximising library budgets.

b)  This is an established consortium, where the City Council has previously benefited from working in a combined way to maximise purchasing power with suppliers.

c)  In approving the request to be a partner organisation in the creation of a supply framework, the leading organisation, in this case Nottinghamshire County Council, has an obligation to act and award in line with Public Contract Regulations, satisfying contract procurement rules of the City Council.

Other options considered

a)  Cease having a book supply contract for the purchase of books for the Library Service – Rejected as this would result in a detrimental impact on the Council’s ability to offer a responsive service to meet the current and potential future needs of our Citizens, risking the longer-term literacy and reading levels across our city. It potentially could also result in the City Council being in breach of its statutory duty (Libraries & Museums Act 1964) of delivering a comprehensive and efficient library service.

b)  Nottingham City Council to secure an individual book supply contact for the purchase of its book stock – Rejected as by ‘going it alone’, the City Council would lose the ‘buying power’ and economies of scale that are achieved from a consortium approach. Any discounts would be lost or be minimal and the choice and range of books available may also be restricted. Overall, this would not achieve best value for the Council or the residents of Nottingham.