Agenda item

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Councillor Ryves, Chair of the Informal Working Group provided an overview of the work of the Group, including the meetings held, issues found and support provided by officers.  He provided information on the recommendations which the Corporate Performance Panel were asked to consider for onward recommendation to Cabinet.

Councillor Ryves and Councillor Long thanked the officers for supporting the Informal Working Group.

Councillor Lintern, Member of the Informal Working Group, addressed the Panel under Standing Order 34 and commented that the Group had reviewed systems and processes and hoped that their recommendations would provide for a robust mechanism for awarding the next contract.

Councillor Nash thanked the Procurement and Contracts Manager and Executive Director for supporting the group and felt that the Informal Working Group had provided common sense recommendations that would improve accountability.  He also hoped that the recommendations from the Group would be considered during other contract processes.

RESOLVED: The Corporate Performance Panel support the recommendations from the Informal Working Group for onward recommendation to Cabinet in terms of preparation for the next taxi testing contract:

1. The Informal Working Group make the following recommendations to the Corporate Performance Panel (“CPP”) for onwards recommendation to Cabinet in terms of preparation for the next taxi testing contract:

a.     The new tender to be advertised on Delta E-Sourcing and Find-A-Tender, and the Council’s own website.  Any contractor wishing to apply shall be advised to register on Delta.  Direct invitations from the Delta tender box shall not be sent.

b.     All correspondence after the competition is opened to be sent through the Delta portal.  All enquiries received outside the portal are to be redirected through Delta.

c.      To consider and discuss with the legal team, including in the Contract Standing Orders, the ability to invite bidders to tender.

d.     In line with the new Procurement Act 2023 for under threshold procurements, checks would be put in place to ensure that businesses were bona fide businesses.  Financial information could be requested, but businesses showing a loss in accounts would not be excluded from then being awarded a contract.  The reason for requiring financial information was purely to evidence that the business was legitimate. 

e.     Questions and criteria to be included in the tender process would need to be agreed with officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Licensing.

f.       It would not be left to the discretion of one officer if additional stations were brought forward to become testing stations after the initial contract was awarded.  Consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Licensing would be required.

Whilst not strictly falling within the terms of reference of the IWG, this additional recommendation was made for CPP’s consideration:

g.     Should an external review of Council processes be required, it should be instructed in writing by an officer independent of the originating matter and not involved in any previous internal review.

2. The Taxi Testing Informal Working Group has now concluded its work and is disbanded.