Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028 - Draft Document and Consultation
Argyll and Bute Council · 20 February 2025
Back to Policy and Resources Committee — 20 February 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Page 1 of 7 ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Policy & Resources Committee LEGAL & REGULATORY SUPPORT 13th February 2025 Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028 Draft Document and Consultation 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The purpose of this paper is to seek approval for the draft revised Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028. 1.2 This report outlines the requirement for the annual updates and the key changes that have been made to the Sustainable Procurement Strategy. 1.3 The first draft of this document was approved by the Procurement Board to go to consultation with key stakeholders and the public via a web-based survey. The consultation closed on 28th November 2024. 1.4 This report recommends that Policy and Resources Committee note the key changes to the document and the outcome of the consultation. 1.5 The consultation outcome report and the final version of the strategy will be available on the council’s website in April 2025.
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Page 2 of 7 ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Policy & Resources Committee LEGAL & REGULATORY SUPPORT 13th February 2025 Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028 Draft Document and Consultation 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 The purpose of this paper is to seek approval for the final revised Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 That the Policy and Resources Committee note the key changes as detailed in Section 4.3 below to the Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028, and the changes made to the strategy following the consultation period in Section 4.4. 3.2 That the Policy and Resources Committee recommend to the Council agreement of the revised final Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028, and the publication on the council’s website in April 2025. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 All public bodies with an annual regulated procurement spend of £5 million and above must produce a Procurement Strategy under Section 15 of the 2014 Act. In terms of the Act, a public body which expects to have procurement expenditure of £5 million or more in the next financial year must, before the start of that year, either publish a Strategy, where one does not exist or review an existing strategy making such revisions to it as the body considers appropriate and publish its revised strategy. On publishing a revised Procurement Strategy, a public body must then notify Scottish Ministers by sending an e-mail to ProcurementStrategies@gov.scot with a link to where the revised strategy can be accessed. The council published its 3 year Procurement Strategy 2022/2025, and this paper sets out the revised Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028. This ensures that we meet the various obligations set out in the strategy in a timeously manner.
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Page 3 of 7 4.2 The updated Procurement Strategy continues to set out a framework which enables the council to continue on its journey of change and innovation through: o To ensure all procurement staff and council officers involved in the procurement process are fully aware of all aspects and impacts of the procurement rules and any other relevant regulations. o Increase opportunities for commercial savings. o Reduce the value of non-contract spend. o To secure wider social, economic and environmental benefits for the local area and ensure those benefits are realised. o Increased opportunities for local suppliers to help grow the local economy. o Increased engagement and collaboration with suppliers and SDP. o To develop resilient local supply chains, providing clear advice and consistent approaches to procurement and community benefits, ensuring businesses are aware of, and are able to take advantage of, procurement opportunities supported by a programme of active and innovative supplier engagement and development support. o To increase the knowledge and understanding of the benefits of sustainable procurement of all council staff who participate in the procurement process and make better use of the expertise within the council to ensure wider sustainable outcomes are achieved. o Continue to deliver best value contracts. o More streamlined and leaner processes. o Procurement continues to be a key strand in the delivery of council strategies and policies. o Build capacity and skills within the council to improve procurement, commissioning and contract management activity and support procurement people of tomorrow. o Cross-service collaboration.
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Page 4 of 7 4.3 Summary of the key changes to the draft Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028 The PCCMT has drafted this strategy to ensure it continues to meet all of the council’s procurement requirements and objectives for the period 2025/2028, and the following changes have been made: • The Procurement Strategy and Sustainable Procurement Policy 2022/25 has been replaced and incorporated into one new document and renamed the Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028. • Section 1 – Page 1: Overview Section 2 – Page 3: Introduction Section 3 – Page 5: Procurement Vision & Mission Statement Section 4 – Page 8: Strategy Rationale & Context All above sections updated to reflect the current context for this strategy. • Section 5 – Page 11: Strategy Aims, Key Priorities & Action Plan Updated to include five key strategic procurement objectives: o Good governance o Value for money to support council’s financial challenges o Empowering local suppliers, supporting community wealth building and local economic growth o Provide effective and efficient procurement for our stakeholders o Procurement to be a strategic partner for all our council services Aims and Action Plan updated accordingly. • Section 6 - Page 29: The Corporate & Education Category’s Analysis of the existing spend profile updated with 2023/2024 spend data. • Section 6 - Page 32: The Construction & Environment Category updated. • Section 6 - Page 34: The Care, Early Years & Housing Category updated. • Section 7 - Page 39: The Financial Analysis section has been updated with 2023/2024 spend data.
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Page 5 of 7 4.4 Following the consultation process, changes to the draft Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028 are detailed below: • Section 2: Introduction Page 3: added new Item 2.4 Sustainable procurement means making purchasing decisions that balance environmental protection, social progress, and economic development, both for present and future generations. For the council, this means: o Environmental Sustainability: Making procurement decisions that minimise negative environmental impacts, support climate resilience, and contribute to our net-zero targets through reduced carbon emissions, protection of biodiversity, and responsible resource use. o Social Sustainability: Delivering positive outcomes for our communities through fair work practices, skills development, and enhanced community wellbeing and resilience. o Economic Sustainability: Creating lasting economic benefits through support for local businesses, innovation, and long-term value for money. • Section 4: Strategy Rationale and Context Page 10: Item 4.4, included: There is an ever-increasing focus from the Scottish Government on measuring and managing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions across our supply chain, including specific supplier reporting requirements for Scope 3 emissions from purchased supplies, services and works. • Section 5: Strategic Aims, Key Priorities & Action Plan Page 11 – Page 28 Title changed to Strategic Aims, Strategic Objectives, Key Priorities & Action Plan. Page 14: Item 5.2.3 - How we will do it - added the following: o Provide support to wider council teams with their sustainability and net-zero targets as required; including updating templates to meet the changing needs of the council and the Scottish Government, and adapting procurement processes to support these targets whilst still complying with Procurement Regulations. As a result of the above, this also affected change to the Action Plan – Page 20 – Actions.
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Page 6 of 7 Page 26: Procurement Strategy Action Plan 5.5.1 Good Governance - Item 7: Comply with the sustainable procurement duty – the following was added: Item F - The Procurement, Commercial and Contract Management Team will provide support to the wider council in relation to emissions management within council contracts. Procurement activities directly influence the council’s Scope 3 emissions through our supply chains, which will be monitored and measured in line with Scottish Government requirements. 4.5 The council has a statutory requirement to update and publish its Procurement Strategy on an annual basis following the key changes introduced by the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016. 4.6 The council also has a requirement to consult with key stakeholder groups for this document. This also gives the council the opportunity to raise awareness, attain buy-in, inform the contents of the documents and further develop engagement with key stakeholder groups. 4.7 The draft Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028 is attached as Appendix 1. 4.8 The Stakeholder Consultation Report (Appendix 2) details the outcome of the consultation. This will be published on the council’s website, in order to provide feedback to the consultees. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The Sustainable Procurement Strategy has been reviewed in keeping with the strategy requirements (Section 8.2) to ensure that it continues to meet the council’s procurement objectives and outcomes, as well as ensuring that the council meet its statutory requirement to do so on an annual basis following the key changes introduced by the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016. 5.2 This proposed consultation has been designed to be relevant and proportionate to the document being consulted on, focusing on key stakeholder groups whilst ensuring that the survey is also open to any other interested organisations/ individuals.
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Page 7 of 7 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy: None, the Strategy supports the Council’s objectives and corporate priorities as detailed in our council’s Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan. 6.2 Financial: None 6.3 Legal: The Strategy ensures the Council meets the statutory requirement to publish its Procurement Strategy and review it on an annual basis thereafter. 6.4 HR: None 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: None, an Equality and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (EqSEIA) has been completed as part of the development of the Strategy. 6.5.1 Equalities protected characteristics 6.5.2 Socio-economic Duty 6.5.3 Islands 6.6 Climate Change: The Strategy supports the Council’s Climate Change agenda and requires our contractors to meet our statutory requirements. 6.7 Risk: None 6.8 Customer Service: None 6.9 The Rights of the Child (UNCRC): None Douglas Hendry Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support Policy Lead: Councillor Mark Irvine 17th December 2024 For further information contact: Anne MacColl-Smith 01546 604194 Anne.maccoll-smith@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1: Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2025/2028 Appendix 2: Stakeholder Consultation Report 2024 Appendix 3: EqSEIA (Equality and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment) Form