Decisions

To fill management capacity following the departure of the Chief Executive of the OPCC and a failed recruitment exercise for an Executive Director of Policing & Reform.

A candidate was needed at short notice with relevant experience of working in the sector.

Following a shortlisting and interview process, David Peet was selected to fulfil the interim role until 31 March 2025.

Option 2. Appoint an interim resource to undertake this role until the appointment of a permanent Director of Policing & Reform is made.

The Digital Infrastructure Team is a partnership between the local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield, and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. The existing team has been hosted by Barnsley Council but it works on behalf of all partners. It was established in 2014 to improve the availability of digital infrastructure as superfast broadband was rolled out.
The SY Digital Infrastructure Team is currently funded by SYMCA for three years: 2022/23 – 2024/25 using Openreach superfast contract clawback.

A Project Mandate form was considered by Programme Board (26th September) highlighting the continued role of the digital infrastructure team in delivering the South Yorkshire Infrastructure Strategy. The Board supported extending funding of the team for a further year (2025/26) during which a Business Justification Case would be prepared considering longer-term funding for the team in the context of the changing digital environment.

In the interim, underspend from the existing contract was recommended to extend funding for the SY Digital Infrastructure Team (2.6xFTEs) for financial year 2025/26, proposed to be funded from underspend against existing budget for 2022/23 to 2024/25 of £148,593, plus additional funding of £28,665 to close the funding gap:

Funding profile for 2025/26 £177,258 Staffing costs and overheads at 15%

2022/23 – 2024/25 budget underspend £148,593 Source: Openreach superfast contract clawback

Funding gap £28,665

The request was recommended for approval at the SYMCA Change Panel on 23rd October.

Option 1 – Approve the recommendation

In March 2023 the MCA board approved the revised Assurance Framework. The revised Assurance Framework provides for a one-stop governance process. This change was designed to improve the pace at which schemes can be developed and delivered. Strategic Business Cases are undertaken within authorities with Outline Business Cases undertaken at MCA Board level.

The Framework allows for schemes that are accepted into the programme to access development funding. Development funding is a key component in supporting the development of quality schemes at pace and is distributed on conclusion of the Strategic Business Case. Accordingly, there was an unintended discrepancy where the intention for a one-stop process was undercut by the need to seek separate approvals for development funding release and OBC approvals.

Therefore, in July 2023 the MCA board granted approval to delegate authority to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with Portfolio Leaders and the Section 73 and Monitoring Officer to approve the release of development cost funding in line with the Assurance Framework to enable schemes to progress as efficiently as possible.

Option 1 – Approve the recommendation

In March 2023 the MCA board approved the revised Assurance Framework. The revised Assurance Framework provides for a one-stop governance process. This change was designed to improve the pace at which schemes can be developed and delivered. Strategic Business Cases are undertaken within authorities with Outline Business Cases undertaken at MCA Board level.

The Framework allows for schemes that are accepted into the programme to access development funding. Development funding is a key component in supporting the development of quality schemes at pace and is distributed on conclusion of the Strategic Business Case. Accordingly, there was an unintended discrepancy where the intention for a one-stop process was undercut by the need to seek separate approvals for development funding release and OBC approvals.

Therefore, in July 2023 the MCA board granted approval to delegate authority to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with Portfolio Leaders and the Section 73 and Monitoring Officer to approve the release of development cost funding in line with the Assurance Framework to enable schemes to progress as efficiently as possible.

Option 1 – Approve the recommendations

The existing Gas Supply contract ends on 31st March 2025.

In order to assess the most appropriate supplier for a new gas supply contract a two part approach was undertaken and a report was compiled.
See accompanying report document.

Part 1 – to determine if the new supply should be through a public sector framework or through a private broker.

Part 2 – upon the decision that the outcome of the above was to look to procure gas from a public sector framework. To determine which framework was the most appropriate based on market prices, service provision and social value.

The outcome of part 2 was that YPO scored the highest assessment mark. It is therefore recommended to sign up with YPO for gas supply from the 1st April 2025.

YPO is the current supplier of gas to SYMCA and has also supplied electricity in the past. They have a large customer base within the Yorkshire and Humber region of mainly public sector organisations, including neighbouring councils in South Yorkshire and the OPCC. YPO employ a team of energy specialists, which includes traders, risk managers and energy specialists who work with YPO’s designed supplier.

YPO’s gas frameworks are recognised as being fully compliant with regards to OJEU and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and the national Energy Strategy Team guidelines. Gas supplies are to be obtained from a Contract which has been selected through tender by YPO. The selected supplier is Corona.

The type of contract is a flexible contract where at least 80% of the projected gas demand for SYMCA is purchased flexibly over a period of 18 months prior to the contract start. Buying flexibly ensures that the best purchase rates are achieved against market fluctuations, allowing gas to be bought at opportune moments (such as when the market is lower), avoiding market peaks to keep the costs down. Buying gas in this manner generally results in a significantly lower commodity cost than the industry average or that which SYMCA would be able to achieve alone.

Not all the 100% of projected gas is bought prior to the supply period, as noted above, so as to take account of any fluctuations in demand for gas due to climatic temperatures that may mean less gas is required than predicted. This avoids having to sell gas commodity back to the grid at a loss.

The projected cost of the contract in the first year (2025/26), based on existing gas usage and a current forecasted unit price of 3.8p/kwh (this will vary over the 4 years of the contract), will be £78,000. (This includes all non-commodity charges.)

This contract is a 4+2+2 contract, so initially SYMCA would be contracted to YPO for supply for 4 years, with 2 potential extensions.

That the Executive Director Resources and Investment approve the purchase of gas via the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) framework contract for the 4 years from 1st April 2025.

There will then be the potential to enter into 2 further contract extensions from 1st April 2029 and 1at April 2031 as noted above.