Evaluation of procurement policies and strategies – Competitive Dialogue Protocol; Draft Corporate Strategy for the London Borough of Barnet; Education & Skills and Catering – Threat of large-scale subcontracting; Future Shape – Flaws in Barnet’s Commissioning and Procurement Policy; Why a ‘thin client’ is a bad policy;
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Draft Corporate Procurement Strategy for the London Borough of Barnet
The purpose of the Corporate Procurement Strategy is to set out the vision and strategic aims, which direct and govern the Council’s procurement activities. This document outlines the policies, toolkits and processes that should be used to deliver the strategy. It sets out the strategic aims and the processes and procedures to ensure that an effective and consistent approach to procurement is taken across the Council.
Includes sections on vision and strategic aims, a strategic planning framework and delivering the Corporate Procurement Strategy in 18 Appendices.
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Barnet Competitive Dialogue Protocol
The Protocol sets out a range of proposals for how Barnet UNISON can be consulted and engaged in the Competitive Dialogue procurement process in the London Borough of Barnet. It covers the preparation of the Invitation to Competitive Dialogue, engagement in the Competitive Dialogue process, and draft terms and conditions (May 2011).
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Draft Corporate Procurement Strategy for the London Borough of Barnet
A comprehensive report organised in 18 appendices, following a strategic introduction, detailing best practice in all stages of procurement (October, 2009) and submitted to Barnet Council.
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Education & Skills and Catering: Threat of large-scale subcontracting
Barnet Council is in process of privatising Education and Skills including the catering service to Capita Group or Cambridge Education (Mott MacDonald). Capita’s joint venture with Staffordshire County Council subcontracted 87% of the staff to Chartwells after just two years of a 20-year contract. Both Barnet bidders are likely to subcontract catering which will impose additional risks on catering’s income generation and the workforce.
Update on Education and Skills Subcontracting report – 29 June 2015.
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Future Shape of the Council: The Flaws in Barnet’s Commissioning and Procurement Policy
The Future Shape of the Council project is likely to consider large-scale outsourcing/privatisation to ‘shrink the council’, yet there are serious failings and shortcomings in procurement which make its policies and practice ‘not fit for purpose’. This could expose the Council to serious financial and service risks. The report is published by UNISON, GMB, NUT and NASUWT and makes a series of recommendations on commissioning and procurement, employment options and contract management and monitoring (December 2008).
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Why a ‘thin client’ is a bad policy
This Barnet UNISON Briefing examines the London Borough of Barnet’s plan to allocate just 2.5% client costs in the planned outsourcing of planning, environment health, trading standards, highways planning and cemeteries. The amount allocated would hardly be adequate to fund contract management and monitoring, leaving nothing to fund other client functions. It discusses the effects of Barnet Council’s ‘thin client’ plans, commissioning and client responsibilities, resources required for contract management and monitoring and the consequences of under-resourcing the client function.
