Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval to proceed with the production of a new monthly council publication designed to improve direct communications with residents, and asks Members to approve a preferred supplier to work in partnership with the Council on this.

RESOLVED: That Officers be instructed to negotiate with both the tenderers for the service, with the aim of establishing a stand alone publication that can be published within the resources available.

REASON:      A stand alone publication would be more likely to be read by residents and would accord with best practice from other local authorities.

Members considered a report which sought approval to proceed with the production of a new monthly council publication designed to improve communications with residents, and to appoint a preferred supplier to work in partnership with the Council on this.

Approval in principal to introduce a monthly publication delivered free to all households had originally been granted by the Executive on 24 July 2007 (Minute 34 of that meeting refers).  The report outlined action taken since that date to address issues raised by Members regarding funding and procurement.  An OJEU procurement process had been undertaken, resulting in two responses to the invitation to tender (ITT), from Newsquest and York Local Link.  Evaluation of these bids had taken some time, due to the complexity of the options presented and the differing funding models.  Following evaluation, a report had been taken to Corporate Management Team (CMT) seeking approval to create a budget from existing resources, which CMT had agreed. 

Details of the bids were contained in (exempt) Annex 2 to the report.  Newsquest had presented four options under a Business Plan A and a further three options under a Business Plan B.  Your Local Link had presented three options, as outlined in the annex.  Following evaluation in accordance with the criteria set out in the ITT, attached as Annex 1 to the report, Members were invited to approve either Option A or Option C in the Your Local Link bid.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: That Officers be instructed to negotiate with both the tenderers for the service, with the aim of establishing a stand alone publication that can be published within the resources available.¹

REASON:      A stand alone publication would be more likely to be read by residents and would accord with best practice from other local authorities.