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LGA launches National Energy Category Strategy for Local Government 2022 – energising procurement
We are delighted to announce that this week we have launched our refreshed National Energy Category Strategy for Local Government.
Publication of the strategy could not be more timely – as the Government outlines its Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) for businesses and non-domestic customers which includes local authorities and schools. The energy crisis, combined with supply chain and geopolitical issues, is putting increased pressure on council resources, with energy security rising up the political agenda and councils are being asked to play a key role in tackling climate change.
Aimed primarily at council procurement officers we have developed a forward-thinking strategy to help local authorities optimise the way they manage and procure energy, with a focus on:
- reducing energy consumption
- using energy efficiently
- looking at new ways councils can act to increase energy security.
Rising energy costs will impact a wide range of contracts and projects and is therefore also relevant to energy and estate managers and sustainability teams – please pass this on to those colleagues.
Energy Bill Relief Scheme – help for businesses and other non-domestic customers
The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide energy bill relief for non-domestic customers, including local authorities and schools in Great Britain. For those not connected to either the gas or electricity grid, equivalent support will also be provided for non-domestic consumers who use heating oil or alternative fuels instead of gas.
Discounts will be applied to energy usage initially between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023. The Government will publish a review into the operation of the scheme in three months to inform decisions on future support after March 2023.
How are local procurement teams responding to the cost of living crisis?
Tussell has produced a new local government cost of living report. Procurement teams across local government are being mobilised to deliver much-needed support for their residents, turning to private sector expertise to roll-out innovative solutions under challenging circumstances. Using Tussell's procurement intelligence platform, they have been tracking the tendering and contracting activity of local authorities to see how they are taking action in the face of the cost of living crisis.
Access our Cost of living hub, and sign up to receive our Cost of living bulletin
To help councils continue to support their residents, we have recently launched a Cost of living hub and a new monthly Cost of living bulletin, both of which highlight the latest news from the Government including examples of good practice, latest reports and data, and upcoming events.
NHS Provider Selection Regime – update
The NHS Provider Selection Regime (PSR) will be a new set of rules for arranging healthcare services in England. Its aim is to give decision-makers a more flexible process for deciding who should provide healthcare services, to make it easier to integrate services and enhance collaboration, and to remove the bureaucracy and cost associated with the current rules.
Due to parliamentary timings and the approval process, it is looking unlikely the PSR will be ready in time for the NHS 2023/24 contracting rounds. Those councils looking to do procurements during this time should continue to arrange services under the current rules on procurement.
Updates on timings for the PSR are expected to be announced as and when they become available on the NHS's PSR webpage and we will keep you updated in our bulletin.
Revised Construction Playbook published
The Cabinet Office recently published the revised Construction Playbook and a guidance note on promoting net zero carbon and sustainability in construction.
The Construction Playbook captures commercial best practices and specific sector reforms outlining the Government’s expectations of how contracting authorities and suppliers, including the supply chain, should engage with each other. While the Playbook is not yet mandated for local government, the latest iteration is more inclusive to the wider public sector and adoption of much of its best practice content is clearly a trajectory supported by the many professional and industry bodies (for example, the National Association of Construction Frameworks) which contributed to this update.
'Buying social justice through procurement' survey
The 'Buying social justice through procurement' survey is aimed at procurement specialists and is conducted as part of the 'Buying social justice through procurement' project. The project explores the use of social procurement by public bodies to promote equality in the UK construction industry.
The survey will take no more than 15 minutes to complete and the deadline has been extended to Sunday 16 October.
RESCHEDULED – Sustainable procurement webinar
Tuesday 27 September, 2.30pm–4.00pm | Zoom
Local government procurement – LGA inflationary pressures roundtable
Wednesday 28 September, 12.30pm–2.00pm | Zoom
Procuring and Supplying DDaT Unconference 2022
Wednesday 12 October, 10.00am–4.00pm | techUK, 10 St Bride Street, London EC4A 4AD
The LGA Procurement team manages several LGA webpages dedicated to your needs. Please email guy.head@local.gov.uk if you would like any information added to our webpages:
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