To consider a report of the Executive Member of Finance.

[NOTE: A related report is to be considered in Part II of this agenda.]

1. That the disestablishment of the current STAR Joint Committee be approved.

2. That approval be given to the expansion of the current shared procurement service to include the Fourth Partner which will continue to be hosted by Trafford Borough Council in accordance with the provisions detailed in the main body of the report.

3. That the establishment of a new STAR Joint Committee be approved for Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale and the Fourth Partner that will support the delivery of the Shared Service and provide delegated authority to the Procurement Service to operate across Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale and The Fourth Partner areas.

4. That approval be given to the further expansion of the shared procurement service to include The Fifth Partner Council in accordance with the provisions detailed in the report subject to the prior approval of appropriate due diligence by the STAR Joint Committee.

5. That, in the event that the shared procurement service is further expanded to include the Fifth Partner Council, approval be given to the disestablishment of the four partner STAR Joint Committee and to the establishment of a new five partner STAR Joint Committee for Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale, the Fourth Partner and the Fifth Partner that will support the delivery of the Shared Service and provide delegated authority to the Procurement Service to operate across Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale, the Fourth Partner and the Fifth Partner areas.

6. That the governance arrangements and Terms of Reference of the new STAR Joint Committee as set out in the report be approved.

7. That authority be delegated to the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to agree the terms and conditions of, and to complete, an Inter Authority Agreement (“IAA”) in respect of the STAR Procurement shared service in similar terms to the existing IAA.

8. That the proposed approach to those circumstances whereby staff would transfer to the new procurement unit, and therefore to Trafford Council under TUPE, as outlined in the report, be noted and approved.

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report which provided information on the strategic proposal to expand the current STAR Shared Procurement service (“STAR”) from three partner councils to four partner councils, and potentially further to expand the collaboration from four partner councils to five partner councils; and which outlined the rationale for STAR’s growth strategy, provided details of proposed commercial arrangements, governance arrangements and implementation strategies. A related report, identifying the fourth partner Council, was considered in Part II of the agenda. (Minute 29 below refers.) In discussion, it was agreed that the Executive would explore practicable and appropriate means of keeping Opposition Members informed of the Joint Committee’s proceedings.

            RESOLVED -

(1)       That the disestablishment of the current STAR Joint Committee be approved.

(2)       That approval be given to the expansion of the current shared procurement service to include the Fourth Partner which will continue to be hosted by Trafford Borough Council in accordance with the provisions detailed in the main body of the report.

(3)       That the establishment of a new STAR Joint Committee be approved for Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale and the Fourth Partner that will support the delivery of the Shared Service and provide delegated authority to the Procurement Service to operate across Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale and The Fourth Partner areas.

(4)       That approval be given to the further expansion of the shared procurement service to include The Fifth Partner Council in accordance with the provisions detailed in the report subject to the prior approval of appropriate due diligence by the STAR Joint Committee.

(5)       That, in the event that the shared procurement service is further expanded to include the Fifth Partner Council, approval be given to the disestablishment of the four partner STAR Joint Committee and to the establishment of a new five partner STAR Joint Committee for Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale, the Fourth Partner and the Fifth Partner that will support the delivery of the Shared Service and provide delegated authority to the Procurement Service to operate across Stockport, Trafford, Rochdale, the Fourth Partner and the Fifth Partner areas.

(6)       That the governance arrangements and Terms of Reference of the new STAR Joint Committee as set out in the report be approved.

(7)       That authority be delegated to the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to agree the terms and conditions of, and to complete, an Inter Authority Agreement (“IAA”) in respect of the STAR Procurement shared service in similar terms to the existing IAA.

(8)       That the proposed approach to those circumstances whereby staff would transfer to the new procurement unit, and therefore to Trafford Council under TUPE, as outlined in the report, be noted and approved.