Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Overview and Scrutiny Ethical Procurement and Contract Management Sub Group - Thursday, 21st February, 2019 10.00 am

Venue: Council Ante Chamber, Level 2, Town Hall Extension

Contact: Mike Williamson 

Items
No. Item

9.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 141 KB

To receive the minutes of the Ethical Procurement Subgroup meeting held on 29 November 2018.

Minutes:

Decision

 

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2018.

10.

Small Format Advertising - Council Influence on Adverts Displayed on Council Assets pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Report of the Strategic Director – Development

 

This reports provides a summary of the council's position to ensure that inappropriate content is not displayed through the advertising estate. The report also summarises how the council intends to engage the market through the procurement process in order to find the appropriate supplier to operate the small format advertising estate.

 

Minutes:

The Sub Group considered the report of the Strategic Director, Development that provided a summary of the Council's position to ensure that inappropriate content was not displayed through the advertising estate. The report also summarised how the Council intended to engage the market through the procurement process in order to find the appropriate supplier to operate the small format advertising estate.

 

The main points and themes within the report included: -

 

·                The context in which the Strategic Director, Development had been asked to provide an assurance that the Council would not be supportive of any advertising that celebrated inappropriate conduct and what the Council could do through the procurement process to influence advertisers who wished to use Council owned land;

·                Providing information on the scale of the current small format advertising contract;

·                An update on the ambition to generate income from this estate from 2020;

·                Information on the guidance as set out by the Advertising Standards Agency to ensure that adverts are legal, decent, honest and truthful and consumer confidence was maintained;

·                The additional criteria expected by the Council to ensure that the Council would not be seen to be promoting anything that would be out of line with its ethos; and

·                An update on the procurement process.

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Sub Group’s discussions were: -

 

·                How long had the previous contract been in existence and what would the duration of any new contract be;

·                Consideration should be given to sharing the advertising criteria which would be agreed by any supplier in order to control the type of advertisements with other Greater Manchester Authorities as an example of good practice;

·                Noting that clarification was required to determine which organisations associated with the Authority or Greater Manchester Local Authorities were being referred to in the list of criteria;

·                Noting that the wording of all of the criteria needed to be reviewed to ensure it was succinct so as to avoid duplication and more specific, as some of the wording was open to a wide variety of interpretations;

·                Noting that the Council has no influence on what could be displayed on screens or boards on private land or other platforms that have approved planning permission on the adopted highway such as the BT Inlink stations.

·                Consideration should be given to using the digital advertising boards to promote relevant local community events and to promote the wider cultural offer and library service in the City; and

·                Had any complaints been received to date regarding the subject matter advertised, either directly to the Council or to the Advertising Standards Agency.

 

The Head of Commissioning and Delivery informed Members that the small format advertising contract currently covered 99 sites across the city centre, owned and maintained by JC Decaux and the contract was a legacy contract that was 26 years old. He reassured the Members that although any new contract would not be awarded for such a length of time, throughout this period JC Decaux had complied with all  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Procurement of Building works for Schools pdf icon PDF 134 KB

Report of the Head of Major Projects

 

This report provides a summary of the social value activities and outcome resulting from the major construction projects commissioned on schools during 2018.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Sub Group considered the report of the Head of Major Projects that provided a summary of the social value activities and outcome resulting from the major construction projects commissioned on schools during 2018.

 

The main points and themes within the report included: -

 

·                During 2018 all major school construction projects were procured through a competitive 2 stage tender exercise through the North West Construction Hub for the programme of works, noting that ISG were the contractor successfully appointed;

·                ISG recorded and reported on their social value delivery compared to their individual project targets on a monthly basis;

·                ISG like many other major contractors employed social value specialists and utilised a social value profit calculator to attach a monetary value to their activities;

·                Information on how social value was measured and collated; and

·                Providing case studies to demonstrate the social value activities.

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Sub Group’s discussions were: -

 

·                Would future contracts deliver similar outcomes;

·                Noting the progress and delivery of social value through such contracts;

·                The need to promote the construction industry as a career option for all with consideration given to the language used when engaging with young people to ensure it was inclusive;

·                Did targets exist for engaging with residents with protected characteristics, noting that positive action should be adopted to address inequalities experienced in society; and

·                How was social value calculated.

 

The Head of Major Projects said that social value had been embraced and represented a significant cultural shift in the construction industry nationally, and future contacts would replicate this activity. In response to the comments regarding promoting the industry as a career option he said that they were keen to promote this and did engage with schools and FE providers in Manchester. 

 

The Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources stated that caution needed to be taken when attempting to calculate a financial value for social value, commenting that an industry had developed around this very issue. However, noted the comments regarding KPIs in regard to protected characteristics. 

 

Decisions

 

The Sub Group;

 

(1)       Recommend that a review of the Social Value Policy be undertaken to ensure that it complies with the equality objectives of the Council; and

 

(2)       Recommend that any future update report includes information on the level and number of apprentices achieved through the procurement of building works for schools.

12.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 29 KB

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit

 

To review and agree the Work Programme for the Subgroup.

 

Minutes:

The Subgroup were invited to consider and agree the work programme.

 

Decision

 

To agree the Work Programme subject to the recommendations agreed for item RSG/EP/19/06.

13.

Exclusion of the Public

The officers consider that the following items contains exempt information as provided for in the Local Government Access to Information Act and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. The Executive is recommended to agree the necessary resolutions excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of these items. At the time this agenda is published no representations have been that this part of the meeting should be open to the public.

Minutes:

A recommendation was made that the public was excluded during consideration of the following items of business.

 

Decision

 

To exclude the public during consideration of the following items which involved consideration of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of particular persons and public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

14.

Contract development and enforceability

Report of the City Solicitor

 

The purpose of this report is to set out the legal framework in respect of social value considerations and to consider how these are reflected in the Council’s commercial and contractual arrangements and to be aware of the position in respect of enforcing such terms and remedies available to the Council.

 

Minutes:

The Subgroup considered the report of the City Solicitor that set out the legal framework in respect of social value considerations and how these were reflected in the Council’s commercial and contractual arrangements and to be aware of the position in respect of enforcing such terms and remedies available to the Council.

 

The Head of Corporate Procurement introduced the report and both he and the City Solicitor responded to questions from the Members.

 

Decisions

 

The Sub Group;

 

(1)       Recommend that a report be submitted for consideration at the next meeting that provides information on the Social Value Policy and how equality outcomes are measured and recorded; and

 

(2)       Recommend that a report be submitted for consideration at the next meeting that provides an update on how Social Value is being delivered through the Our Town Hall Project. This report will also provide an update on the activities to address Modern Day Slavery.

15.

National Agreements in associated construction industries - Our Town Hall Contract

Report of the City Treasurer

 

This report provides information on National Agreements for the employment, welfare, grading and training of apprentices in the associated construction industries in relation to the letting of the Our Town Hall Contract.

 

Minutes:

The Subgroup considered the report of the City Treasurer that provided information on the National Agreements for the employment, welfare, grading and training of apprentices in the associated construction industries in relation to the letting of the Our Town Hall Contract.

 

The City Solicitor introduced the report and responded to questions from the Members.

 

In response to a question from a Member the Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources informed the Group that the Unite Construction Charter had been incorporated into the Our Town Hall contract and the contractor had agreed to adhere to this. He advised that this Charter, along with other nationally agreed standards would also inform future contracts. Members welcomed this, stating that this should be monitored very closely.

 

Decision

 

To note the report.