Policy & Resources Cabinet Member – Minutes – 26 November 2014

159      (32)  VIREMENTS 2014-15 The Director of Policy and Resources submitted a report which sought approval for changes to the revenue and capital budgets for 2014/15.

On 25 February 2014 Council approved the revenue and capital budgets for the 2014/15 financial year respectively.  The report gave details of virements approved by the Director of Policy and Resources under delegated powers and those that required Cabinet Member approval.

Resolved – (a) That the virements at paragraph 3.1 of the report, approved by the Director of Policy and Resources under delegated powers be noted, and (b) that the permanent virements outlined in paragraph 3.2 of the report be approved.

160      (33)  CONSULTATION – REFORMS TO PUBLIC PROCUREMENTThe Director of Policy and Resources submitted a report to advise on the consultation on the Reforms to Public Procurement.

The government was consulting on proposed new and wide ranging powers in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment (SBEE) Bill to help small businesses grow, prosper and innovate. The bill included an enabling power that would allow the government to introduce a range of measures to streamline public procurement and reduce barriers, particularly for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).

It was explained that the SBEE Bill would build on the progress made to date by including a provision that would aim to provide the government with the ability to make regulations in secondary legislation imposing duties on procuring authorities in relation to procurement.

The government had consulted on how the power could be used and the questions being asked relate to three specific proposed measures:

·         Running an efficient and timely process

·         Make available, free of charge, information or documents, or processes necessary for any potential supplier to bid for a contract   opportunity

·         Accept electronic invoices

  Resolved – That the proposed reforms to public procurement as outlined in the Bill be noted.

161      (34) REVISED CODE OF RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES ON DATA TRANSPARENCY – OCTOBER 2014 – The Director of Policy and Resources submitted a report which sought approval of the recently revised local Government Transparency Code 2014.

In May 2014 the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) published the “Local Government Transparency Code”.  This Code was issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in exercise of his powers under section 2 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

On 3 October 2014 DCLG reissued the Local Government Transparency Code as a final version. The regulations that would make part of the Code mandatory came into force on 31 October 2014 under section 2 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

Under the revised code, clear deadlines had been specified for the publishing of the specific data sets. 

Service areas had been advised of the changes to timescales and were working towards the deadlines in order to meet the new requirements of the code.

Appendix 1 provided details on the specific changes to the relevant datasets.

Resolved – That the changes to the Local Government Transparency Code be noted.

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Where there is no report this is because it is exempt, as it contains information which is considered to be of a confidential nature, as detailed in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.