Councillor Chris Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Housing and Co-operative Development) and Philip Symons (Category Manager) presented the Contract Standing Orders item to the Committee –

This report required approval to proposed changes to the Contract Standing Orders (CSOs) as set out in the supporting documents, so that they were relevant and fit for purpose.

The proposed changes therein are inclusive of a format change; thus making the document concise. It was the hope that this would assist in their compliance and increase officer understanding and awareness of the details within each section.

Questions from Members related to:

Does the changes to the policy cover sub-contractors

The Audit and Governance Committee –

1. approved the updated Procurement CSOs as set out in Appendix A.

2. accepted the Procedural Notes within the Supplementary Governance Documents section listed within part H of the constitution as supporting documents. These Procedural notes aide to the increased accessibility of the CSOs without compromising on the specific important information contained within them.

3. provide delegated authority to the Section 151 officer with Portfolio Holder consultation to add new and edit existing Procedural notes when appropriate.

4. provide delegated authority to the Section 151 officer to make minor changes in regards to the references to “OJEU” and “OJEU Threshold” if and when this changes as part of the Brexit negotiations due to conclude at the end of 2020. This is due to the fact that this links to EU regulations that the Council may or may not be subject to pending the decisions that will made by Central Government.