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Approval to procure the Council’s electricity supply contract via an ESPO framework contract.
Decision Maker: Executive Councillor for Transformation
Decision published: 20/08/2020
Effective from: 13/08/2020
Decision:
CAMBRIDGE CITY
COUNCIL
Record of Executive Decision
Procurement of electricity supply contract 2020 |
Decision of: |
Councillor Robertson, Executive Councillor for Strategy and
Resources |
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Reference: |
20/URGENCY/SR/14 |
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Date of decision: |
13/8/2020 |
Published on: 13/8/2020 |
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Decision Type: |
Key Decision |
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Matter for Decision: |
Approval to
procure the Council’s electricity supply contract via an ESPO framework
contract. |
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Why the decision had to be made (and any alternative options): |
There is a requirement to re-procure the
Council’s electricity supply contract from 1st of October 2020.
Spending on electricity is around £780,000 per year (estimated £3.1m over the
life of the contract) so this is a key decision requiring approval from the
Executive Councillor. Energy prices fluctuate and have been
impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.
ESPO report prices are currently at a low level. It is likely, although not certain, that electricity
prices will increase this year. It is
therefore recommended that this procurement decision is made as an out of
cycle decision rather than wait until strategy and Resources Scrutiny
Committee on 5th October 2020.
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The Executive Councillor’s decision(s): |
i.
Approved the purchase of electricity via the Eastern Shires Purchasing
Organisation (ESPO) energy framework as outlined in option 3 of the briefing
note. ii.
Approved the contract
period for the provision of electricity should run for four years from the 1st
October 2020 to the 30th September 2024. iii.
Authorised the
Strategic Director or Head of Housing Maintenance and Assets to approve the
actual electricity price tariff when the procurement is completed by ESPO. |
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Reasons for the decision: |
As detailed in the Officer’s briefing note. |
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Scrutiny consideration: |
The Chair and
Spokesperson of Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee were consulted
prior to the action being authorised. |
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Report: |
Link to Officer briefing paper |
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Conflicts of interest: |
None |
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Comments: |
The Opposition Spokes Councillor queried
how the ESPO contract performance was monitored, if
other frameworks had been considered and how long it would take these
providers to provide an assessment. The Officer responded that the new corporate Energy Manager post in
the Estates and Facilities team will carry out a review of procurement
options for energy but this will not be until the
start of 2021. The review will include looking at
alternative procurement frameworks and benchmarking prices. |
Lead officer: Will Barfield
Approved the proposed changes to the applicant categories, grant funding levels and eligibility criteria to be incorporated in a revised version of the Council’s Discretionary Grant Fund policy; and delegated authority to the Strategic Director to finalise the revised Discretionary Grant Fund policy and processes, approve updates and oversee application assessment and grant distribution for the final period of the grant scheme
Decision Maker: Executive Councillor for Transformation
Decision published: 10/08/2020
Effective from: 06/08/2020
Decision:
CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL
Record of Executive Decision
RECORD OF URGENT
DECISION ON REVISED LOCAL AUTHORITY
DISCRETIONARY GRANT POLICY UNDER SECTION 31
OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 2003 |
Decision of: |
Councillor Robertson, Executive Councillor
for Finance and Resources |
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Reference: |
20/URGENCY/SR/15 |
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Date of decision: |
6/8/20 |
Recorded on: |
6/8/20 |
Decision Type: |
Key |
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Matter for Decision: |
In early June 2020, the
Executive Councillor agreed a local policy for distributing government-funded
discretionary grants to businesses, charities and not-for-profit
organisations which were not eligible for earlier Covid-19 government funds
and were struggling to survive the lockdown. This has enabled the Council to
distribute just over half (£573,000) of the £1.1 million available by
late July, but applications have now slowed down significantly. The proposed
revisions to the grant policy which require a decision are set out in section
3 of the attached report. |
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Why the decision had to be made (and any
alternative options): |
The policy needs to be revised so that a wider
range of relevant businesses and other relevant organisations
can be paid grants from the remaining funding before the Government closes
the national scheme to applicants on 28 August 2020. Officers have considered
different options including: no change; top-ups for existing grant
recipients; and possible changes to applicant categories, grant banding and amounts
and eligibility criteria. |
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The Executive Councillor’s decision(s): |
Approved the proposed changes to the applicant
categories, grant funding levels and eligibility criteria to be incorporated
in a revised version of the Council’s Discretionary Grant Fund policy; and
delegated authority to the Strategic Director to finalise the revised
Discretionary Grant Fund policy and processes, approve updates and oversee
application assessment and grant distribution for the final period of the
grant scheme. |
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Reasons for the decision: |
As detailed in the Officer’s report. Link
to the briefing paper for the Urgent Decision regarding Revised Local
Authority Discretionary Grant Policy under section 31 of the Local Government
Act 2003 |
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Scrutiny consideration: |
The Chair of the
Strategy and Resources Committee and the Opposition Spokesperson were
consulted prior to action being authorised. |
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Report: |
Attached |
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Conflicts of interest: |
None |
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Comments: |
The Opposition Spokes
councillor queried the proposal to close the application round for market and
street traders and bed & breakfasts. The Strategic Director confirmed
that officers had put a lot of time into assisting and encouraging
applications from market and street traders and B&Bs some have chosen not
to apply for various reasons. As the time is now limited, the Executive
Councillor has made the decision to give other key sectors priority. The decision will be
reported to the Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee on 5 October 2020. |
Lead officer: Fiona Bryant