Agenda and draft minutes

Consideration was given to the report presented by Steve Eling, Principal Officer, Policy and Partnerships, which provided details of the current contract for provision of food supplies to Community Food Members (CFM) by Fareshare Yorkshire in Rotherham, which was due to end on 31^st October, 2014. Fareshare Yorkshire had delivered the provision since it started on 1^st October, 2013.

It was proposed that the current contract with Fareshare Yorkshire be extended for a further five months until 31st March, 2015.  During this time period the Council would undertake an open and competitive tendering exercise for a new contract to commence 1st April, 2015.  The new contract would be for twelve months with an option to extend until 31st March, 2017 subject to continued demand, quality performance and finance/grant availability.

Clarification was sought on the consequences of not extending this service provision contract, which would result in the ceasing of the service in Rotherham of a key preventative service which would impact significantly on vulnerable people and families in the borough. 

Resolved:-  (1)  That an exemption to the Council’s Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations, as provided for by Standing Order 38, to waive Standing Order 47, be approved in order to extend the contract with Fareshare Yorkshire Ltd for the operation of the Rotherham Food Centre and provision of food to Community Food Members.

(2)  That the contract be extended to 31st March 2015 to the sum of £15,154.

Consideration was given to the report presented by Colin Earl, Director of Audit and Asset Management, which detailed the Council’s use of Good for Enterprise (GFE) as its mobile email application and also as a mobile device management application.

Details were provided on the current charging agreement and the number of device installations, the annual charge and the current arrangements.  

Further information was sought on the proposals to move to an annual subscription model and it was suggested that clarification be sought on the number of user licenses proposed in light of the numbers using Good for Enterprise and those used by Blackberry.  On this basis it was suggested that the matter be deferred for further consideration and reported back to the next meeting.

Resolved:-  That the report be deferred pending further information and clarification and this be submitted to the next meeting of the Deputy Leader for consideration.

Consideration was given to the report presented by Colin Earl, Director of Audit and Asset Management, which detailed how the Council utilised UNIX servers and Oracle databases for its Enterprise Systems, including Swift Social Care and Revenues and Benefits.

The annual maintenance of the hardware and software costs were £22,844. Exemption from Standing Orders was, therefore, sought on the basis that only the supplier (Oracle) were capable of supporting this hardware and software.

Clarification was sought on the risks to not renewing this contract, which was critical to several key statutory services and could mean that they were unable to operate.

Reference was made to the advances in technology, the long term solutions and hosts and application of the Cloud First Policy, which was not appropriate in this case.

Resolved:-  That the contract for hardware and support and maintenance of the UNIX servers and Oracle databases be exempt from the provisions of Standing Order 47.6.3 (requirement to invite at least three written quotations for contracts with a value of £20,000 but less than £50,000).

Simon Bradley, Procurement Service Leader, gave a brief summary of the YORtender Portal used across the Yorkshire and Humber Region, which was Government funded for five years.

The e-portal is now used by twenty-two Local Authorities across the Yorkshire and Humber region, Rotherham has advertised contract opportunities of ~£100M on the e-portal over the past two years.

Emma Fairclough, Service Support/Customer Excellence Manager, gave a short presentation on the YORtender Portal specifically highlighting:-

·                YORtender as an electronic contract management system.

·                Procurement Portal for the Yorkshire and Humber Region.

·                Rotherham’s input in to the system.

·                Rotherham was one of twenty-two authorities, of which seven developed the contract.

·                The Project Group’s migration.

·                Rotherham’s assistance with upgrade plans and future releases.

·                The Portal’s compliance with Standing Orders and Financial Regulations and a fully auditable based platform.

·                Rotherham hosted training for the twenty-two authorities and trained one hundred and eighty officers.

·                In-house training had also been provided for sixty officers across the Council.

·                The benefits of the Portal including the connection through a single procurement approach, which could be hosted and used on multiple devices.

·                Increased opportunity to collaborate with other Local Authorities.

·                Rotherham is now the lead authority on a number of collaborative framework agreements at national and regional level.

·                Links to the other authorities’ websites and the numbers of tenders and quotes.

·                Local suppliers’ workshops and meet the buyer days.

Clarification was sought on whether the YORtender could go multi-regional, quantifiable savings, the OJEU process, Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation as a supplier and the opportunities for the voluntary and community sector to bid for contracts.

It was noted that the opportunities being offered to smaller companies opened up competition and the market placed.

Resolved:-  That Emma Fairclough and Simon Bradley be thanked for their information and presentation.

Jacqueline Collins, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, reported on:-

·                The Corporate Governance Inspection in progress and the requests for information being met.

·                An update on the next meeting of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

·                Consideration of confidential items presented to the Cabinet and the release of confidential items to opposition members.

·                An update on Human Resources matters arising from the Jay Report.

·                Criteria for urgent reports.

Colin Earl, Director of Audit and Asset Management, reported on:-

·                The budget monitoring report at Cabinet, which included the ICT virement.

Resolved:-  That the information be noted.

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Deputy Leader and Advisers take place on Tuesday, 4^th November, 2014 at 10.00 a.m. with a briefing for the Deputy Leader and Advisers at 9.30 a.m.