SENIOR councillors have agreed for Torfaen council to enter into a partnership with Cardiff council to help the authority with the purchase of goods, services and works.
The change of approach to Torfaen council’s procurement arrangements has been agreed to bolster resources.
Torfaen council currently has just one dedicated member of staff and one part-time employee in its procurement team.
Procurement is about the purchase of goods, services and works needed by the council to deliver services to residents.
The role of procurement has become more complicated, and a council report says Torfaen council’s arrangements are “not sustainable going forward” due to the lack of capacity.
Teaming up with Cardiff council will provide Torfaen with access to additional resources, including Cardiff’s leadership and management team.
A similar arrangement has been agreed between Cardiff and Monmouthshire councils in the last year.
Torfaen’s existing procurement officer will be seconded to Cardiff, and a budget for a vacant post within the team will be transferred to Cardiff council for it to recruit an additional officer.
At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Kelly Preston, executive member for resources, said the change of approach would help the council achieve its ambitions.
“I think this is a positive way forward in terms of strengthening our procurement capacity and approach,” she said.
Nigel Aurelius, the council’s assistant chief executive for resources, said Torfaen’s priorities – including the delivery of decarbonisation, community benefits, fair work and access for small businesses – will be supported of as part of the arrangement.
Mr Aurelius said the proposal was “a good value for money solution” for the council.
“There are some things we can do and will always do and there are some things where we are just too small to be able to do effectively or to the standards we would want and this is one of those cases,” he said.
Council leader, Cllr Anthony Hunt, said the proposal, as well as being value for money, is also “a good partnership approach”.
The agreement will be in place for at least three years, with a review of progress of each year.
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