To invite Cabinet to consider a Joint Commercial Strategy for Herefordshire Public Services (HPS).

The Cabinet Member Corporate and Customer Services and Human Resources introduced the report on a Joint Commercial Strategy for Herefordshire Public Services. 

The Deputy Chief Executive informed Cabinet that the Joint Commercial Strategy had been produced to support commissioning and procurement across the Council, NHS Herefordshire and Herefordshire Hospital Trust.  The strategy had been agreed by the NHS Herefordshire Board on 21 July 2010.  The strategy sought to deliver better value during the whole life cycle of a contract and to improve the managing of contracts.  By forming part of the HPS Transformation Programme, the strategy would support efficiency savings and deliver better services at better costs.  The partner organisations also recognised the need to shape markets and ensure innovation, and the strategy provided a framework within which these opportunities could take place. 

Responding to questions from Members, the Deputy Chief Executive stated that:

·         an ongoing process of challenge would take place to ensure that commissioners received what had been paid for; this would be demonstrated in part by the provision to amend contracts within their agreed timeframe. 

·         Whilst there would be impact to the organisations on the proposed new government legislation, the full details were yet unknown.  The principles of commercial best practice would be embedded through the strategy and would be flexible to meet the changing environments.

Responding to a question regarding the Amey contact, the Leader refuted claims that there had been no attempt to address issues within the contract and stated that the contract had been the subject of re-negotiation in totality.

RESOLVED:   That Cabinet approved the Joint Commercial Strategy for Herefordshire Public Services.