AQW 8685/11-15

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 22/02/2012
Answered On Date: 07/03/2012
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment what action his Department is taking to ensure that district councils comply with good tendering practices for legal services.

Answer:

Under the Local Government (Best Value) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002, (the 2002 Act), district councils are required to make arrangements for continuous improvement in the way in which their functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

How individual councils obtain their legal services is legally and technically a matter for each council. However, it is expected that, in line with best value, councils should seek out the most economical provider of a quality service. Also, in his report of 12 June 2008, the Chief Local Government Auditor encouraged all councils to review their legal advice arrangements on a more regular basis. This was reiterated in the current Chief Local Government Auditor’s report in 2011 and is something that will be considered in future local government audits.

I have been encouraging local authorities to demonstrate how current procurement arrangements can provide value for money and comply with legislation. I will be meeting with the Local Government Procurement Group shortly to discuss how the sector can improve procurement practices and to encourage collaborative procurement.

I agree strongly that best practice should prevail when tendering legal services and indeed I wrote to councils last year to request details of practices. I shall make it clear at the LGPG meeting my views on these matters.