Issue - meetings

(Report by Mr M Dance, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Mr D Cockburn, Corporate Director, Business, Strategy and Support)

(Mr W Gough, Economic Development Manager, was present for this item)

1.         The Economic Development Manager, Mr Gough, introduced the report that detailed the procurement process that had been followed and outlined the requirements that KCC had asked bidders to meet when submitting their proposals.

2.         Mr Gough responded to comments and questions by Members which included the following:

·                That ten organisations had initially registered an interest in securing the contract.

·                That Visit Kent currently employ 20 members of staff, and that KCC has a team of 3.5ftes, who work on tourism, and work very closely with Visit Kent.

·                That the diversity questionnaire that accompanies tender specifications such as this one was a standard document provided by Procurement at KCC and intended to ensure compliance with various legislative requirements.  Mr Gough would feedback members concerns that the document was unnecessary and overly detailed.

3.         Comments were received from members of the Committee regarding the benefits and disbenefits of outsourcing such projects. Mr Gough confirmed that bringing services ‘in house’ for delivery was not considered to be best value at this time.

4.         In addition members expressed concern that further information was not available regarding the preferred bidder or the number of bids received.  The Committee received advice regarding the relevance of the information before it and the further opportunity that would be available to all members to comment when the proposed decision were published.

5.         Ms Cooper reported that she and Mr Dance had taken every necessary step to ensure that no conflict of interest might occur in relation to the award of contract, in particular both had withdrawn from the Board meetings of both Visit Kent and Locate in Kent when the procurement exercise/tenders were being discussed.

6.         It was RESOLVED that:-

a)        the responses to comments and questions by Members be noted;

and

b)             the proposed decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Economic Development to award the contract for Inward Investment Services for Kent County Council Areas be endorsed.