Meeting documents

Apologies were received from Mr Doug Anson and Mr Steve Kennell.

Ms Puddefoot declared that she is the Vice Chairman of Youth Concern in Aylesbury and she has a number of family members who work within the service areas who are providing evidence at the meeting.

Contributors:

• Trevor Boyd, Head of Commissioning and Service Improvement, Adults and Family Wellbeing
• Marcia McFarlane, Service Manager Performance, Adults and Family Wellbeing
• Karen Robinson, Contracts Manager, Adults and Family Wellbeing

Context: Trevor will provide a 10 minute presentation covering:

• overview of procurement activity within Adults and Family Wellbeing (to include contract management, supplier relationship)
• overview of strengths and areas for development in current arrangements in AFW in relation to procurement;
• Future developments [the implications of a corporate commissioning strategy/contract management framework on AFW procurement]

Purpose: To provide members with an overview of procurement activity within Adults and Family Wellbeing. To enable members to scrutinise how effective current arrangements are with a view to identifying and exploring possible areas for improvements.

Trevor Boyd started by introducing his colleagues, Rachael Rothero, Marcia McFarlane and Karen Robinson.  He then took Members through his presentation.  He explained that there is a new vision for Adults and Family Wellbeing which is based on a power shift from the state to the citizen and includes the following:

• Extend the rollout of personal budgets to everyone who is eligible by 2013
• Increase preventative action in local communities
• Keep people independent and help to build the Big Society
• Break down barrier between health and social care funding
• Encourage care and support to be delivered in a partnership between individuals, communities, the voluntary sector, the NHS and councils – including wider support services, such as housing
• Making information about care and support available to everyone irrespective of whether they fund their own care.

Trevor took Members through some of the key strategic priorities and explained that these priorities need to be considered alongside the operational priorities which support the delivery of significant MTP savings.  He went on to say that personalisation will result in a change in the balance of relationships between users, suppliers and the County Council.

Trevor explained the nature of contract management and the benefits of contract review and monitoring.  As part of this process, the team obtains user and carer feedback and it also provides opportunities to address safeguarding/vulnerable adult issues.  He said that the service currently has 12,146 clients who access their services (he clarified that some clients access more than one service).  The service area currently has 569 provider contracts of which 4 contracts are worth over £5 million and 335 are worth less than £50k.  The service is facing a number of challenges from the market place, including the issue of how contracts will be monitored under the new personalisation regime.  Providers are also facing major additional costs.  Trevor said that the team need to have a good relationship with providers in order to deliver the required MTP savings and to maintain good quality services for the most vulnerable.

During discussion, the following questions were asked and issues raised.

• A Member asked whether the County Council has spoken to other authorities to see how they are doing their contracts.  Rachael responded by saying that dialogue with other authorities takes place all the time.  She went on to say that the County Council needs to have greater leverage in the market place and there are different types of procurement strategies.
• Marcia McFarlane explained that currently one to one conversations with individuals and their families take place to ascertain their needs but in future things will change and specific tools will be made available to individuals to assist them with making their own choices.  The aim is to become more streamlined and to make the process less bureaucratic.  Personalisation means a very different market place in future.
• Rachael went on to explain "Care Plan" services which arranges a package of care for an individual.  She said that this service is being developed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To resolve to exclude the press and public as the following item is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded for the following item which is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Purpose: To provide members with the opportunity to ask further questions on contract information that may be commercially sensitive.

Papers: Contract register for Adults and Family Wellbeing - contracts over 50K.

This item was covered under item 3.

Contributors:

• Chris Munday, Divisional Director, Commissioning & Business Improvement, Children & Young People’s Service

Context: Chris will provide a 10 minute presentation covering:

• overview of procurement activity within CYP (to include contract management, supplier relationship)
• overview of strengths and areas for development in current arrangements in CYP in relation to procurement;
• Future developments [the implications of a corporate commissioning strategy/contract management framework on CYP procurement]

Purpose: To provide members with an overview of procurement activity within Children & Young People’s Service. To enable members to scrutinise how effective current arrangements are with a view to identifying and exploring possible areas for improvements.

The Chairman welcomed Chris Munday, Stephen Bagnall, Ben Thomas and Simon Brown from the Children and Young People service area.

Chris Munday started by explaining that he has been at Bucks County Council for around four and a half years and when he first joined, very little procurement and commissioning of services took place.  In the last 4 years, this had changed and the service area now works closely with other key stakeholders to ensure value for money.

Simon Brown explained that he has worked with five other authorities with the aim of bringing care provision on a regional basis to try and reduce the incidents of having to place children a long way away.  Spot purchasing can add up to 22% to the real cost.

Chris went on to say that there are low incidents but the costs are higher so it makes more sense to work jointly with other organisations.

Stephen Bagnall provided Members with an example where the PCT and the County Council were commissioning 3 different providers for the same services.  The money has now been pooled and one contract has been commissioned leading to savings and efficiencies and a better service.  The service area is very pleased with the outcome.

Ben Thomas then provided Members with another example of respite short breaks for disabled children where the PCT and the County Council were previously commissioning three contracts and then went to one provider who operates out of two buildings which has resulted in a number of efficiencies being made.

Chris explained that over the last 4 years, a lot of work has been done to develop relationships with suppliers.  Framework agreements are in place for vulnerable children.

Stephen explained that he works very closely with the Connexions service and as a result of having a good working relationship with them, they were able to discuss the contract with them and come to an amicable agreement.

Chris explained the importance of having a robust contract management process and he showed Members the scorecard which the service area uses when it undertakes contract management.  Ben went on to say that information is collected from providers on a quarterly basis and there are 5 key indicators which the provider is marked against and targets are set.

Chris took Members through the main strengths of the team:

• Good, focussed team members
• Good relationships with suppliers.

He identified areas for future development:

• Ensure that the whole workforce is fully skilled.  In conjunction with Bucks New University, an accredited training course has been developed.
• Work closely with the corporate team.
• Big Society – what does this mean in terms of the Commissioning and Procurement team?
• Feel there are better ways of engaging with the voluntary sector.

During discussion, the following questions were asked and queries raised.

• A Member asked whether a contract can be written whereby a contract can be awarded to a primary contractor but it can also include smaller organisations.  Chris responded by saying that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To resolve to exclude the press and public as the following item is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded for the following item which is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Purpose: To provide members with the opportunity to ask further questions on contract information that may be commercially sensitive.

Papers: Contract register for Children and Young People’s Service—contracts over 50K

This item was covered under item 7.

Contributors:

• Sean Rooney, Compliance Manager (Localities and Traffic Manager)
• Phil Stonehewer, Compliance Manager (Quality & Audit)
• Helen Halfpenny, Client Transport Compliance Manager

Context: The attendees are invited to provide an overview of procurement within transportation, including contract letting and management. Following this members are invited to ask questions.

Purpose: To provide members with an overview of procurement activity within transportation. To enable members to scrutinise how effective current arrangements are with a view to identifying and exploring possible areas for improvements.

The Chairman welcomed Sean Rooney, Helen Halfpenny and Phil Stonehewer from the Transportation service area.

To resolve to exclude the press and public as the following item is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded for the following item which is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Purpose: To provide members with the opportunity to ask further questions on contract information that may be commercially sensitive.

Papers: Transportation Contract Register—live contracts over 50K

Exempt minutes produced for this item.

The next meeting is due to take place on Wednesday 24 November at 10am-12.30pm in Mezzanine Room 2, County Hall, Aylesbury.

The next meeting is due to take place on Wednesday 24 November at 10am in Mezz Room 2.