Issue - meetings

The Executive Board received a Preliminary Estimate report which sought approval to commence a collaborative procurement process for the supply of Agency Workers in compliance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and Procurement Standing Order 1.3.4, as the estimated value was likely to exceed £1,000,000 per annum, across participating partners in the Liverpool City Region.

It was reported that since 2019 there had been a significant increase in the use and overall cost of agency workers in the Council for the reasons described in the report.  It was imperative therefore that the Council sought to maintain access to a resourcing solution that met the needs of the organisation and delivered value for money.  Continuing participation in a collaborative contract arrangement was the most effective way of achieving this.  It was noted that a managed service ensured that the Council remained compliant with the prevailing legislation pertaining to the use of contingent resources (The Agency Worker Regulations) and the equity and safeguarding requirements of individual role types; this also allowed efficient call-off of workers through a single gateway.

The report provided Members with the spend across the current contract term, along with the savings achieved through use of the current contract.

RESOLVED:  That the Board

1)    notes the report; and

2)    approves that Halton participate in the procurement of a new collaborative contract arrangement within the Liverpool City Region, to ensure that Council maximises purchasing power on a common category of spend (supply of Agency Workers).