How We Buy
The Council procures along departmental lines, with co-ordination of common and large contracts through the Improvement and Procurement Team based in the Chief Executive's Department.
The Council’s five departments are: Chief Executive's; Community Services; Environmental Services; Finance, and Learning and Children's Services.
In 2003/04 we handled approximately 185,000 invoices. To buy goods, services or works consistently, efficiently and effectively we have a process or Procurement Path. This helps officers ask the right questions at the right time, to make the right decisions.
The first decision we take is to decide whether the procurement is covered by a Corporate Contract. If the goods, works or services are covered by a Corporate Contract then officers must use that contract.
If the procurement is not covered by a Corporate contract then the next step is to classify the procurement as Minor, Routine or Major:
- If the total cost is less than £1,000 it is a Minor Procurement
- If the total cost is more than £150,000 it is a Major Procurement
- If the procurement poses a high risk to the Council or its services it is also a Major Procurement
- If it is neither Corporate, Major or Minor then it is a Routine Procurement
We use these classifications to help us determine:
- How we advertise
- What kind of contract is appropriate
- The tender process that we use