Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Alam

Commissioner:         Myers (in advisory role)

Recommendations:

1             That the contract for support and maintenance of the Electoral Management Software system remain with Xpress Software Solutions until after the City Region Mayoral election scheduled to take place in May 2017.

2             That an exemption be granted under Standing Order 38 from the provisions of Standing Order 47 (contracts valued at less than £50,000).

3             That a full competitive tender exercise be undertaken so that any changes can be implemented after the City Region Mayoral election has taken place.

Consideration was given to a report which detailed how the contract for support and maintenance of the Electoral Management Software system expired on 31st March, 2015 and was extended until 31st March, 2016 by a decision of the Commissioners to grant an exemption under Standing Orders.

 A further twelve month exemption was granted by a decision of Cabinet made on 11th April, 2016.  Since that Cabinet decision the statutory instrument confirming that there was to be an election of the Mayor for the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority in May, 2017 had been made.  

This report sought a further exemption under Standing Orders so as to avoid the implementation of any new electoral management software system during the lead up to the mayoral elections so as to minimise the risk of any problems with that implementation jeopardising the delivery of the mayoral election.

There would then be the opportunity to carry out a full procurement exercise with the implementation of any new system to take place before the next major scheduled elections (European Parliamentary elections) in 2019.  This would give confidence that the work needed to take place between the elections could be completed.

Cabinet Members welcomed the proposals moving forward, but suggested an earlier procurement of a new system be pursued should the mayoral elections in 2017 not proceed.

Resolved:-

1.          That the contract for support and maintenance of the Electoral Management Software system remain with Xpress Software Solutions until after the City Region Mayoral election scheduled to take place in May, 2017.

2.          That an exemption be granted under Standing Order 38 from the provisions of Standing Order 47 (contracts valued at less than £50,000).

3.          That a full competitive tender exercise be undertaken so that any changes could be implemented after the City Region Mayoral election has taken place or sooner should the City Region Mayoral election not proceed.