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SEC probes council use of best practice
17:40 29 Jan 2003
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Specialist engineering contractors are launching a wide-ranging
probe into current local authority procurement practice.
A standard questionnaire has been drawn up by the Specialist Engineering Contractors (SEC) Group, which is hoping to get replies back from councils by the end of February. The specialist body is aiming to draw up a report in about two months.
"Anecdotally, the feedback we are getting is that there has been no real change in local authority procurement procedures," said Rudi Klein, SEC Group chief executive. "This is despite the fact that in theory we have had a Best Value programme in place since April 2000, and the Byatt report call for reform.
"We are concerned about local authority practice. They still want their retentions. And there is not a great deal of partnering.
"Our survey will aim to provide hard evidence of just what is going on out there."
The findings are expected to provide further ammunition in the specialists' ongoing campaign against retentions. The SEC Group is now following up the House of Commons select committee report (CJ 11 December), which broadly concluded that the retentions system is inefficient and outdated.
It is set to meet with the Office of Government Commerce to discuss what practical measures can be taken to implement the report's recommendation that retentions should be phased out on public sector contracts by 2007.
Members of the seven SEC-affiliated trade associations are also being asked to write to their local MPs to update them on the campaign. They will further press them to approach both the Treasury and local government minister Nick Raynsford to implement the select committee recommendations.
Other initiatives include a lobby of the Welsh national assembly in a bid to secure abolition of retentions as part of the principality's new Welsh Procurement Initiative. This is to be followed by similar approaches in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A standard questionnaire has been drawn up by the Specialist Engineering Contractors (SEC) Group, which is hoping to get replies back from councils by the end of February. The specialist body is aiming to draw up a report in about two months.
"Anecdotally, the feedback we are getting is that there has been no real change in local authority procurement procedures," said Rudi Klein, SEC Group chief executive. "This is despite the fact that in theory we have had a Best Value programme in place since April 2000, and the Byatt report call for reform.
"We are concerned about local authority practice. They still want their retentions. And there is not a great deal of partnering.
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"Our survey will aim to provide hard evidence of just what is going on out there."
The findings are expected to provide further ammunition in the specialists' ongoing campaign against retentions. The SEC Group is now following up the House of Commons select committee report (CJ 11 December), which broadly concluded that the retentions system is inefficient and outdated.
It is set to meet with the Office of Government Commerce to discuss what practical measures can be taken to implement the report's recommendation that retentions should be phased out on public sector contracts by 2007.
Members of the seven SEC-affiliated trade associations are also being asked to write to their local MPs to update them on the campaign. They will further press them to approach both the Treasury and local government minister Nick Raynsford to implement the select committee recommendations.
Other initiatives include a lobby of the Welsh national assembly in a bid to secure abolition of retentions as part of the principality's new Welsh Procurement Initiative. This is to be followed by similar approaches in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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