Decision details

The councils across Gloucestershire have agreed to work together to procure consultancy and other services in the event that more than one of the Councils require the same services to assist with preparing and adopting their local plans.

The councils across Gloucestershire which includes 6 district councils and Gloucestershire County Council have been working over many years on joint commissions for consultancy work to support the preparation of local plans e.g. Housing Needs Assessment. This decision formalises the approach.
By signing this agreement, it does not commit any funding nor affect procurement routes and policies. What it does do is provide the flexibility for groups of the councils to commission studies related to local plans in whatever combination is needed. It will simplify our current approach, which needs a separate agreement on a case-by-case basis.
The purpose of this agreement is to help speed up the process of commissioning for the preparation of local plans across Gloucestershire.

To not enter the Participation Agreement and continue on the entering into an Agreement on a case-by-case basis. Evidence of commissions to date have demonstrated that this builds delay into the commissioning process and adds in costs.

The Participation has been drafted by OneLegal with consultation across all strategic planning teams. In reviewing the draft agreement engagement has taken place with the Cheltenham Strategic Procurement Manager.