Issue - meetings

This report invites Members to discuss, comment upon and approve a corporate Sustainable Procurement Policy, which sets out the Council’s commitment to sustainable procurement, supports the vision of York being an exemplary sustainable city and will help the Council in delivering the challenging targets set out in the Sustainable Procurement National Action Plan.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the implementation of the Sustainable Procurement Policy at Annex A to the report, as from 1 April 2009, be approved.

REASON:      To provide the Council with a policy framework to deliver its sustainability aspirations and meet the Government’s sustainable procurement targets.

                        (ii)        That the proposal that the CPT look at industry schemes for embedding sustainable procurement for adoption from 1 April 2009, including the Procura+ manual at Annex B, be agreed.

REASON:      To provide clear guidance and support to Officers involved in procurement.

                        (iii)       That the revised sustainability continuum attached as Annex C be approved.

REASON:      To enable the Council to measure its progress against the challenging targets set by the Government in delivering sustainable procurement.

Members considered a report which invited them to discuss, comment upon and approve a corporate Sustainable Procurement Policy, setting out the Council’s commitment to sustainable procurement.

The purpose of the Policy was to commit the Council to sustainable procurement within a practical and effective framework within the existing Corporate Procurement Strategy. It was proposed that further supporting guidance, such as the European – wide practitioner manual, Procura +, be developed by the Corporate Procurement Team.  The draft Policy was attached as Annex A to the report and a copy of Procura + was attached as Annex B.  The progress of embedding the Policy effectively through the organisation would be measured via the revised sustainability continuum attached as Annex C to the report.  This formed part of the overall Strategy.

Members welcomed the proposals in report and in particular the commitment to fair trade, support for local business and ‘whole life’ costings within the Policy.  They expressed thanks to the Officers concerned for their work in bringing the Policy forward.  The Chair noted that Liz Ackroyd, the Assistant Director of Resources (ARM) would shortly be leaving the Council and thanked her on behalf of the Executive for her hard work over the years.

With regard to the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, Officers had provided a response which had been circulated to Members by e-mail and was available in hard copy at the meeting.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the implementation of the Sustainable Procurement Policy at Annex A to the report, as from 1 April 2009, be approved. ¹

REASON:      To provide the Council with a policy framework to deliver its sustainability aspirations and meet the Government’s sustainable procurement targets.

                        (ii)        That the proposal that the CPT look at industry schemes for embedding sustainable procurement for adoption from 1 April 2009, including the Procura+ manual at Annex B, be agreed.²

REASON:      To provide clear guidance and support to Officers involved in procurement.

                        (iii)       That the revised sustainability continuum attached as Annex C be approved.

REASON:      To enable the Council to measure its progress against the challenging targets set by the Government in delivering sustainable procurement.