Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance and Community Development

RESOLVED THAT:

1. For the reasons set out in this report, a Waiver under Rule 9.1 i) of the Contracts Rules in respect of the Single Advice Contract for a period of one year until March 2012 be agreed.

2. Authority be delegated the AD Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Community development, to enter into any necessary documentation as approved by the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Community Development introduced the report. The report advised that the Single Advice Contract; awarded following a tendering process in 2007, for a three year contract period for provision of advice services to Cheltenham residents; was due to cease in March 2011.  If the council was to continue to procure these services based on current arrangements then the  opportunity to explore the business case and potentially participate in a county commissioning process would be missed.

Under Rule 3.7 of the Council's Contract Rules, contracts with an aggregate value of over £50,000 must be subjected to a Tender Procedure, with a minimum of three written tenders being sought.  However, waivers can be agreed in certain circumstances.  Under Rule 9.1 i) of the Contract Rules a Waiver must be agreed by Cabinet for contracts over £50,000. 

The Leader commented that it seemed a very sensible approach in the circumstances.

RESOLVED THAT:

1. For the reasons set out in this report, a Waiver under Rule 9.1 i) of the Contracts Rules in respect of the Single Advice Contract for a period of one year until March 2012 be agreed.

2. Authority be delegated the AD Community Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Finance and Community development, to enter into any necessary documentation as approved by the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer.