urgent update

Yesterday all the contractors were formally told who had won the contraxct.

The Council is now in what is known as the Alacatel period

When does the Standstill Period commence?

The period kicks in from the date the authority decides to award the contract. Usually this will come towards the end of an often lengthy procurement process where bidders will have been shortlisted and finally whittled down to one, for example through a process called “competitive dialogue”. At that point, when the authority makes its selection, the Alcatel Letter is issued and the standstill period should then commence. At the end of that period the contract is signed.

How long is the Standstill Period?

10 to 15 days from the decision to award, depending on the method by which the Alcatel letter is communicated. This is designed to give unsuccessful bidders an opportunity to challenge the award if they believe there has been a breach of the procurement rules.

Who should be sent an Alcatel letter?

Both the successful and unsuccessful “tenderers” and “candidates” in a procurement.. In other words, not only unsuccessful bidders but also any applicant who submitted a “PQQ” (a completed prequalification questionnaire) should receive one.

Full details here

To view our report click here

On Wednesday 14 December Barnet Cabinet Resources rushed through two major outsourcing contracts in less than 10 minutes

It appears Speed Dating concept has been adopted by One Barnet Programme

On Wednesday 14 December Barnet Cabinet Resources rushed through two major outsourcing contracts in less than 10 minutes

It appears Speed Dating concept has been adopted by One Barnet Programme

 

To view our report click here

To view report click here

Dear Members of the Audit Committee

 

Please find enclosed UNISON’s response here to Agenda Item 10: Procurement Controls and Monitoring Plan Progress Report

 

Agenda Item 10 is a key report which no doubt you will give due attention and regard. I have been a regular attendee of Audit Committee and feel confident you will welcome our comments and questions.

 

The Council has made a political decision to become a Commissioning Council whereby it no longer provides services yet still wants to be able to ensure the provision of excellent services, alongside effective governance and strong performance.

For any organisation, public or private to make such far reaching transformation it  must seek assurance that it has sufficient control over spend and procurement.

 

This UNISON report to the Audit Committee is our attempt to publicly identify the risks and our concerns about the above report and furthermore highlight the bigger concern that the Council is not fit and ready for such a massive transformation to become a ‘Commissioning Council’. 

 

If you have any questions or concerns about the content of this report please do not hesistate to contact me.

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

0208 359 2088

www.barnetunison.me.uk

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Defend Our Pensions

The following Employers have been sent this letter from the branch.

Employer Name

L B Barnet

The Fremantle Trust

Barnet and Southgate College

Barnet Homes ALMO

Hendon Academy

Housing 21

The Compton Academy

Mill Hill High Academy

Finchley Catholic High School

London Academy

Whitefield Academy

Lovell Partnerships Ltd

Ashmole Academy

Sacred Heart RC Primary School

St. Marys C of E High School

Bishop Douglass School

Queen Elizabeth’s Girls Academy

St. Josephs Infant School

Dollis Junior School

Greenwich Leisure Limited

Turners Industrial Cleaning Systems

Osidge Primary School

St. James Catholic High School

Monken Hadley CE Primary School

Rosh Pinah School

St. Agnes RC Primary School

St. Josephs RC Junior School

St. Pauls CE Primary School

 

The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists members put their best foot forward and are out with us 30th November.

The Society of Radiographers members see through government plans to reduce their pension and will walkout 30th November.

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy members exercises their right to protest by taking strike action 30th November.

Occupational Therapists are equipped to take strike action 30th November

Refuse workers refuse to work 30th November

Having slept on it residential workers strike 30th November

Workers in Children’s Centres stop playing around and are out 30th November

Library workers have read up on it and are on strike 30th November

Social workers have assessed the situation and are on strike 30th November

Highways workers have seen the signs and are on strike 30th November

Revenues and Benefits workers say you can count on us and are on strike 30th November

Teachers & Head Teachers have agreed to teach the Government a lesson on strike 30th November.

University & College Lecturers won’t accept any lectures from Government and are on strike 30th November.

Planners are making plans to take strike action 30th November

Finance workers have done the maths and they are taking strike action on 30th November

Pension workers know a thing about Pensions and are taking strike action on 30th November

…and more and more and 2-3million more…including, school support staff, civil servants

The richest 1% of the population has much to gain if you do not take strike action. If you are reading this then you are not part of that 1%. Stand with the 99% which wants a fairer society where our children have a real future.

Dave Prentis UNISON general secretary says:

http://www.unison.org.uk/efocus/allmember05.asp

To view Picket Lines across Barnet next Wednesday 30 November for the Pensuions Strike click here

Dear member of the Audit Committee

 

UNISON has produced a report ( see attached ) on the Greenwich Leisure contract following the revelation in a report to Cabinet Resources 27 September 2011 that officers were seeking:

 

“1. That approval is granted to negotiate termination of the current leisure contract with Greenwich Leisure Limited (“GLL”), such negotiations being subject to final approval by this committee

and

 

7.2 An external legal firm, Bevan Brittan, carried out an analysis of the current contractual arrangements and the proposals for varying the contract. Having done so, Bevan Brittan, have advised that alteration of the contract, in the manner proposed, would, for the purposes of European procurement law, constitute a material change to the content and nature of the original opportunity such as to amount to a ‘new’ contract. Without a competition, in accordance with the European procurement rules, such a material change would carry a risk of challenge from tenderers who were unsuccessful when the contract was tendered, previously, as well as from others, currently in the market.”

 

Barnet Council commenced a 15-year Leisure Services partnership/contract (annual value £1.7m) with Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) on 1 January 2003. It is now considering terminating the contract.

 

I am bringing our report to your specific attention because our report found that serious concerns about this contract had previously been brought to the attention of the Audit Committee.

 

UNISON is concerned that  nine years into the contract there was:

• Poor financial controls

• No Partnership Board

• No effective contract management

• No proper risk assessment

• No key performance indicators or targets

• No checking of management fee/contract variations from GLL

• Decline in the condition of the Council’s leisure assets

 

Our report raises a number of critical key questions for Councillors in particular those members sitting on the Audit Committee:

 

1. Was there an expectation when the contract was set up that Greenwich Leisure would ensure adequate maintenance of the leisure facilities stock to last the lifetime of the contract?

2. Did GLL spend the allocated money on planned maintenance?

3. What was the annual cost of variation orders issued on this contract since January 2003?

4. Has this programme of work been audited and scrutinised?

5. If it was inadequate or ineffective, what remedial action was taken?

6. What is the current condition of the Council’s leisure facilities?

7. What has been the total cost of this contract to date?

8. Why were Audit recommendations not implemented?

 

Barnet Council’s catalogue of contract management failures on relatively small contracts has grave implications for the large multi-million One Barnet contracts currently in procurement.

 

UNISON believe that you should consider seeking independent assurance from external audit on:

·         contract monitoring and

·         long term procurement and the associated high level risks.

If councillors have any questions or concerns about the content of this report please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Best wishes

John Burgess

Branch Secretary.

Barnet UNISON

0208 359 2088

www.barnetunison.me.uk

Barnet UNISON “Watch it & Share it”

Barnet UNISON Facebook

Barnet UNISON Twitter

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