To note the Membership including Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the STAR Joint Committee for the Municipal Year 2017/18.

As two of the Joint Committee Members had sent their apologies for the meeting, it was agreed that the confirming of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman would be deferred to the next meeting. Cllr Brett agreed to Chair the current meeting.

RESOLVED: That the Membership of the STAR Joint Committee for the 2017/18 Municipal Year, be noted:

Councillors Allen Brett, Patrick Myers and David Sedgwick.

To consider a report of the Business Improvement Manager.

The Joint Committee received a report of the Business Improvement Manager addressing a matter in respect of nominated substitutes attending STAR Joint Committee meetings and their voting rights in the absence of Executive Members.

RESOLVED: That the changes be endorsed by the Joint Committee and the report be referred to the three Local Authorities for their consideration.

To note the Joint Committee’s Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED: That the Joint Committee’s Terms of Reference be noted.

To receive and if so determined, to approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 May, 2017.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 May 2017, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members to give notice of any interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code(s) of Conduct.

No declarations of interests were made by Members.

The Joint Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement providing an update on both the STAR final financial position for 2016-17 and the Quarter One Finance Report for 2017-18.

Members discussed the current level of reserves, and whether these should be reinvested. The recommendation previously made by Chief Officers was to allow the Director of STAR Procurement, who came into post earlier in 2017, the opportunity to assess whether proposals were needed for any reinvestment. It was noted that a discussion was required to agree the appropriate level of reserves.

The Chief Finance Officer, Trafford Council discussed the headings of the table in appendix 1 of the report, stating that the term ‘forecasted’ should be replaced with ‘actual’, and questioned why months 3-9 were not included.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Joint Committee received a report of the Business Improvement Manager providing an update on the Corporate Risk Register for STAR Procurement. The report also advised Joint Committee Members of movement in risk items, as well as any risk items added to, or proposed to be removed from, the register.

It was noted that risk P007 had been downgraded, and options in relation to new STAR partners continued to be explored. Members were advised that a cost plus model would be used when considering new partners to ensure founding partners adequately benefited from the process.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the changes to the Risk Register, as recommended in the report, be agreed.

The Joint Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement, providing an update on the 2016/17 outturn position for STAR Procurement in respect of the balanced scorecard performance measures. Following the successful achievement of the finance target for 2016/17, it was noted that the target had been revised to £4.2m for 2017/18.

In an attempt to improve the percentage of signed contractual documents filed on The Chest (C3), the Chief Finance Officer suggested that contract documents only be signed by STAR after they have been signed and returned by the successful bidder.

The Director of STAR Procurement confirmed that a model to challenge the social value outputs of contracts was currently being developed, and would be presented to the Joint Committee when available. It was also noted that the ‘simplify’ campaign was ongoing in an attempt to address some concerns raised by suppliers about the amount and type of paperwork required to be completed as part of the tender process.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Joint Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement, providing an update on the Quarter 1 activity on the Delivery Plan 2017-18, as well as advising Members of the priorities for Quarter 2.

A further discussion around social value took place, highlighting the importance of ensuring that this aspect of awarded contracts was achieved. Members also discussed the impending joint commissioning arrangements at Trafford, set to begin in April 2018, and how this might affect the procurement process. Officers agreed to keep Members updated on how joint commissioning arrangements might affect STAR going forward.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

To receive a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (Professional).

The Joint Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (Professional), seeking approval for STAR to publish the harmonised Procurement Strategy for 2017-20 on its website and update the copies published locally by each STAR Council.

Members discussed the current situation in relation to AGMA, and how STAR now took the lead on the majority of their procurement. It was suggested that the Leader of Trafford Council, as the Vice-Chair of AGMA, should raise the issue at one of their meetings. Cllr Laura Evans, Trafford Council, agreed to discuss this with the Leader.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the Procurement Strategy 2017-20 be approved.

2)    That publication of the Procurement Strategy 2017-20 on the STAR Procurement website be approved.

3)    That circulation of the Procurement Strategy 2017-20 to the three STAR Councils for their policy repositories / local publication, be approved.

To receive a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (People).

The Joint Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (People) providing the 2017-18 Q1 performance measures for STAR Procurement. It was noted that 57% of the annual cash savings target had already been achieved, and Members congratulated the team on this achievement. The Director of STAR Procurement agreed to circulate a list detailing these savings to attendees of the meeting. The Board also discussed engagement with sole traders and small businesses, and how this could be improved. Members noted the importance of advertising The Chest.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

To confirm the arrangements for the next meeting(s).

It was confirmed that the next meeting of the STAR Joint Committee would be at 2:00pm on Wednesday 1 November, 2017 at Stockport Council.

RESOLVED: That the time and date of the next meeting be noted.

[It was subsequently agreed outside of the meeting that the next STAR Joint Committee meeting would be at 2:00pm on Friday 17 November, 2107 at Trafford Town Hall]

Motion   (Which may be amended as Members think fit):

            That the public be excluded from this meeting during consideration of the remaining items on the agenda, because of the likelihood of disclosure of “exempt information” which falls within one or more descriptive category or categories of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, as amended by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, and specified on the agenda item or report relating to each such item respectively.

RESOLVED: That the public be excluded from this meeting during consideration of the remaining item of business because of the likelihood of disclosure of “exempt information” which falls within Paragraph 3 of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.

To receive a verbal report of the Director of Procurement.

The Joint Committee received a verbal report of the Director of STAR Procurement providing information relation to STAR’s Growth Plan. The Board discussed the intended growth strategy and how this would be implemented. Discussions had taken place with potential new partners, and it was suggested that the Leader of Trafford Council, as a Member of the AGMA Board, could promote STAR to other Authorities. Members discussed STAR’s capacity going forward, as well as potential changes required to governance arrangements with the addition of any new partners.

It was noted that the Plan would be discussed further at the next STAR Board meeting in September, and a report would be brought to the Joint Committee for their consideration in due course.

            RESOLVED: That the update be noted.

To receive a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (Professional).

The Joint Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (Professional) seeking approval to implement a Spend Local work stream across the three STAR Councils on a phased approach. The Joint Committee discussed the implications of such a work stream, and how this had been successfully implemented at another Local Authority by the Director of STAR Procurement.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the business case for the Spend Local work stream be approved.

2)    That no target be set for year one of the scheme.

3)    That the proposed phased approach for implementation be approved.

To receive a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (Professional).

The Joint Committee received a report of the Head of Strategic Procurement (Professional) seeking approval to implement a Risk Based Sourcing work stream across the three STAR Councils. The Joint Committee discussed the implications of such a work stream and the requirement for Members to agree to a short term waiver of the STAR Councils’ Contract Procedure Rules for its implementation.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the business case for the Risk Based Sourcing work stream be approved.

2)    That a short term waiver of the STAR Councils’ Contract Procedure Rules be approved, and that the report be referred to each respective Authority for their approval through the appropriate channels.

3)    That no target be set for year one of the scheme.

Any other item or items which by reason of special circumstances (to be specified), the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered at this meeting as a matter of urgency.

(a) Meeting attendances

[The Chairman agreed to accept this item as a matter of urgent business to allow a timely update on the situation to Board members]

The Director of STAR Procurement noted the difficulty with confirming both Member and Officer attendances at STAR meetings, with many being unavailable or sending apologies. The Director of STAR Procurement asked that this be fed back to all three Authorities in an attempt to improve attendance at Joint Committee meetings going forward.

(b) Growth Strategy

[The Chairman agreed to accept this item as a matter of urgent business to allow a timely update on the situation to Board members]

A Member requested that a Growth Strategy be provided for the Joint Committee’s consideration. The Director of STAR Procurement would look to provide a report on this at a future meeting.