News Update

Week Ending 10th February 2006
 

Vehicle Collaborative Procurement, Maintenance, Management and Utilisation Services Project.

The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities and a number of neighbouring North West authorities are jointly looking to achieve efficiencies and improve the delivery of services in the Procurement, Management, Maintenance and Utilisation of Local Authority Transport Fleets (Refuse Compaction Vehicles, Small Vehicles and others vehicles).

For further information regarding this project please click here.

Corporate Procurement Manager - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

The opportunity has arisen for either a secondment or permanent post to head up the procurement team within Blackburn with Darwen BC  (Unitary authority - Excellent status).  The role involves leading the procurement modernisation agenda within the authority, mixing strategic definition and operational implementation.

Ability to influence and effectively communicate to all levels is essential, supported by a can do attitude.

Sourcing and contracting will feature highly within the scope of the post, procuring both individually and in collaboration across the region. Past experience of the public sector procurement regime is essential

Starting salary circa £45k

For an informal discussion or further details please contact Carol Barton on 01254 585743

ODPM Efficiency News

The latest edition of the above newsletter is available to download - ODPM Efficiency News Issue 5 (pdf, 22 pages, 314kb).

Care Services Efficiency Delivery Newsletter

The newsletter for January and February contains valuable information on the changes, activities and progress of CSED over the last quarter and can be viewed by clicking here.

Advice on Better Procurement from South East Centre of Excellence

The South East Centre of Excellence has taken a leading role, on behalf of the ODPM, in supporting Local Authorities through the Efficiency agenda and the National Procurement Strategy.  This LocalGov.TV programme explains how SECE can help your Authority meet its Efficiency and Savings targets.  The programme examines the role of SECE, its areas of expertise and the services it provides working in partnership with authorities in the South East region and nationwide.

http://www.egovtv.tv/programmes/Local%20Authority%20Efficiency%20Achieving%20Savings 

New Rules To Help Public Procurement Be More Efficient and Effective Come Into Force

Simplified, clarified and updated regulations came into force on 01 Feb. These will help the public sector and utilities sector buy goods, works and services in a more efficient and effective way. Guidance and information are available using the following links:

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=186190&NewsAreaID=2

http://www.info4local.gov.uk/singleLink.asp?linkid=5853&heading=e%2dmail%20alert

http://www.ogc.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1004559

Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative in a nutshell

The public sector in England spends £1.8 billion on food and catering services. The Government wants to use this buying power to help deliver the principle aims of the Government's Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food in England. That is, to deliver a world-class sustainable farming and food sector that contributes to a better environment and healthier and prosperous communities.  For an introduction to PSFPI follow this link: http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/index.htm

Productivity, performance and improvement project update

An update of the Productivity, Performance and Improvement project has highlighted differences between CPA excellent local authorities and the rest. The Employers’  Organisation’s (EO) 2001/2002 project identified key human resource interventions that help improve productivity most quickly. The research was updated in an exercise

that tracked how the local authorities involved in the original project had fared in their subsequent Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) assessments. The results produced a rank order of effectiveness in which eight areas of HR intervention stood out. http://www.lg-employers.gov.uk/featured/productivity_performance_and_improvement.html

Efficiency in Revenues and Benefits Services: An Audit Commission Survey

This study looks at ways councils can improve efficiency in revenues and benefits services and strongly suggests partnership working and relocating staff to other parts of the country as ways to do this

http://www.lg-employers.gov.uk/futures/news/efficiency_revenues_benefits.html

Local Government Recruitment and Retention Survey

The 2005 Recruitment and Retention Survey gives a view of difficulties confronting authorities and highlights any changes from previous years in order to shape future research and action. It also informs the Local Government Pay and Workforce Strategy as well as regional and local recruitment and retention initiatives.

http://www.lg-employers.gov.uk/publications/fullpublications/randr.html

Draft Strategy for Sustainable Construction Report 2006

The aim of this revision to the 2000 Strategy for Sustainable Construction is to consider what has been achieved over the past five years and to provide an effective framework to guide future Government policies where they are relevant to construction. It indicates where government wishes to see the industry going in terms of its future development, as well as indicating where businesses believe their efforts should be concentrated. It is also the hope that the strategy will encourage industry to propose a positive response to some of the big questions it faces.

http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-1586.html

EVENTS

Member Efficiency and Procurement Champions Seminar

The next seminar for Member Efficiency and Procurement Champions will take place at the LGA on Tuesday 14th March from 11am until 2:30pm. At the seminar members will have the opportunity to hear from ODPM on the efficiency gains and the link to SR07; IDeA will speak on the efficiency peer reviews and the East RCE on some innovative collaboration work they are doing in the region. In addition good practice examples from local authorities will be presented. Lunch will also be provided at the seminar.  To view the draft agenda please click here.

Feedback from previous seminars has shown that members greatly value these opportunities to network and share ideas and good practice with others from across the country. For more information or to book your place please complete the attached booking complete the booking form and return to LGconnect, the LGA's information centre by email info@lga.gov.uk or fax 020 7664 3030 or call 020 7664 3131 by 28th February.

Supply Chain Event – Aintree, 2nd February 2006

An event has been organised by East Lancs Chamber of Commerce, who have a dedicated supply chain team.  They provide a number of services to public and private sector – such as purchase/spend/contract analysis, researching SME’s in the area, acting as procurement arm of organisation, etc.  The overall aim is to increase procurement effectiveness of LA’s and bring more business to local SME’s.  They can set up e-auctions and the other procurement tools.

The event will cover a number of issues:

1. Do’s and don’ts:  a three hour workshop to draw out the things both the suppliers and the buyers find difficult in dealing with the other – aiming to help them work together more effectively. 
2. Meet the buyer:  each council takes a lead on a product area and see suppliers of that product at half-hour interviews throughout the day.  This gives suppliers the opportunity to find out more about requirements and councils more about each supplier’s ability to deliver and range of products.
3. First level suppliers: a series of interviews set up throughout the day.

For further information please contact NWCE.

Procurement Solutions 2006

The Regional Centres of Excellence are pleased to announce that they are hosting the annual conference Procurement Solutions for the Public Sector on the 20th and 21st June 2006 in partnership with OGC  and OGC Buying Solutions. The event (held at Earls Court in London) is aimed at addressing the key stumbling blocks to better public sector procurement. Approximately 300 exhibitors will be taking part and the programme is designed to help public sector policy makers, buyers and influencers to make better procurement decisions, build better relationships with suppliers and ensure procurement systems work in the most effective manner.

Tim Byles, Chair of the RCE Chief Executives Task Force will be delivering a keynote address and the Regional Centres will be chairing a series of workshops as well as exhibiting on the main floor.

To find out how to book your place click here and watch this space for more information...

National Public Procurement Practitioners Day

This event sees procurement professionals from across the UK come together to recognise and celebrate procurement excellence within the public sector. Delegates to the 2006 event will hear from industry heavyweights such as Director-General of the CBI Sir Digby Jones and the European Commissioner responsible for the EU Internal Market, Charlie McCreevy.  N3PD 2006 takes place on Tuesday 6 June, One Great George Street, London, in conjunction with the Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards.  www.n3pd.com

Government Procurement Service Conference 20 March, York

a line-up of leading public procurement leaders – experts who will cover vital topics ranging from the practicalities of sustainable procurement to procurement efficiency, and advise you about the new EU procurement regulations and what the updated CIPS professional qualifications framework means to them.

http://www.ogc.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002885&app=latest_news.asp&process=full_record&recordid=212

For full events listing please visit our events page.