A O’Donnell, Chief Executive (City of Glasgow Council); J Whyte, Chief Executive (West Dunbartonshire Council); S Black, Chief Executive (Renfrewshire Council); and S Ritchie, Director of Corporate and Housing Services (Falkirk Council).

S Black, Chair, presided.

A Scott, Chief Executive (Aberdeen City Council) and C Sneddon, Chief Executive (Argyll & Bute Council).

J Welsh, Director, H Carr Head of Strategic Procurement, S Brannagan, Head of Customer and Business Services, A Richmond Senior Procurement Manager, C Taylor, Account Manager, J Bowles, Construction Category Manager and D Benstead, Principal Porcurement Specialist (all Scotland Excel); and K Graham, Head of Corporate Governance and E Currie, Senior Committee Services Officer (both Renfrewshire Council).

M Pitcaithly, Chief Executive (Falkirk Council) and V Andrews, Executive Director (South Ayrshire Council).

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Chief Executive Officers Management Group held on 7 November 2016.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

A Richmond gave a presentation to the group on Scotland Excel’s social care procurement service which highlighted council spend on the provision of social care services including children’s services, adult and older people services and highlighting new development areas for Scotland Excel including Telecare.

It was noted that members of this group would be advised of the outcome of the further negotiations scheduled for 22 February 2017.

DECIDED: 

(i) That the presentation be noted; and

(ii) That members of this group be advised of the outcome of the further negotiations scheduled for 22 February 2017.

C Taylor gave a presentation to the group on the proposal to support the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme.  It was noted that this work was in its early stages and there was a discussion highlighting the current landscape including the role of housing in Councils’ procurement, the best approach for targeting procurement assessments for housing associations and the next steps for Scotland Excel. 

DECIDED: That the presentation be noted.

J Bowles gave a presentation to the group on Scotland Excel’s Energy Efficiency Contractors Framework which was due to be considered by the Executive Sub-committee in March 2017 The presentation detailed the scope and management of the framework which was estimated to be the largest value framework so far awarded by Scotland Excel.

DECIDED: That the presentation be noted.

 

SEDERUNT

C Sneddon joined the meeting by video conference prior to consideration of the following item of business.

D Benstead gave a presentation to the group highlighting the benefits of the small value contracts team and detailing the top 20 opportunities by spend per annum and the councils participating in each.

DECIDED: That the presentation be noted.

Under reference to item 5 of the Minute of the meeting of this group held on 7 November 2016 there was submitted a report by the Director of Scotland Excel providing an update in relation to Scotland Excel’s Associate Membership Strategy.

The report intimated that the strategy had been approved at the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 9 December 2016.  The strategy considered organisations to be targeted as part of the process to widen access to frameworks, provide additional savings to the public purse and provide an additional income stream for the organisation going forward.  

The strategy identified that whilst there were a number of areas of potential interest, the area that represented the best fit to current and future areas of contract delivery was the housing association market.  Scotland Excel had attended, spoken and exhibited at a number of events including the Chartered Institute for Housing and Scottish Federation of Housing Association Conferences.  Scotland Excel staff would visit housing associations to test the market in relation to an appropriate fee structure and would consider factors such as the number of units each housing association had and would replicate similar membership models which these organisations were currently familiar with.

It was noted that since the last meeting of this Group four associate members had been added being Forest Enterprise Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership.  

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Scotland Excel providing details of a proposal submitted by Scotland Excel to lead a procurement and commercial shared service for the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

The proposal set out the rationale for a city deal shared procurement and commercial service hosted by Scotland Excel which would support the strategic objectives of city deal through implementation of its agreed procurement and community benefits strategy and allow the sharing of scarce, skilled resources across member councils.

 

It was noted that this proposal would be discussed with the Chief Executives of the Glasgow City Region City Deal in the first instance then brought back to this group for further consideration.  The group were supportive of the proposal and of the wider proposal that Scotland Excel look at leading a procurement and commercial shared service nationally which included rural projects.

DECIDED: 

(a) That it be noted that this proposal would be discussed with the Chief Executives of the Glasgow City Region Deal in the first instance and brought back to this group for further consideration; and

(b) That it be noted that this group were supportive of the proposal and of the wider proposal that Scotland Excel look at leading a procurement and commercial shared service nationally which included rural projects.

(a) Format of Meetings

The Group discussed the preferred format for information to be submitted to future meetings and any other information which should be submitted to the group on a regular basis.

DECIDED: 

(i) That there was a preference for information for future meetings to be provided and delivered in the form of presentations; and

(ii) That the Director of Scotland Excel submit a report to future meetings identifying items of business for consideration by the Joint Committee; the financial position of the organisation; recruitment; Brexit and any other matter identified as part of the survey exercise recently carried out.


(b) Induction Packs

The Director of Scotland Excel advised that induction packs would be provided for all members of the Joint Committee following the local government elections on 4 May 2017.  It was anticipated that the Director would meet with all members appointed to the Joint Committee prior to the first meeting to be held on 30 June 2017.

DECIDED: That the position be noted.

DECIDED: That the next meeting of the group scheduled for 15 May 2017 at 10.00 am be rescheduled to a date in early June 2017 and that members be advised accordingly.