Financial Regulations

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1. Procedures as to contracts are laid down as follows:
   1. Every contract shall comply with these financial regulations, and no exceptions shall be made otherwise than in an emergency provided that this regulation need not apply to contracts which relate to items (i) to (vi) below:
      1. for the supply of gas, electricity, water, sewerage and telephone services;
      2. for specialist services such as are provided by solicitors, accountants, surveyors and planning consultants;
      3. for work to be executed or goods or materials to be supplied which consist of repairs to or parts for existing machinery or equipment or plant;
      4. for work to be executed or goods or materials to be supplied which constitute an extension of an existing contract by the Council;
      5. for additional audit work of the external Auditor up to an estimated value of £500 (in excess of this sum the Clerk and RFO shall act after consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of council); and
      6. for goods or materials proposed to be purchased which are proprietary articles and/or are only sold at a fixed price.
   2. Where it is intended to enter into a contract exceeding £60,000 in value for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works or specialist services other than such goods, materials, works or specialist services as are excepted as set out in paragraph (a) the Clerk shall invite tenders from at least three firms to be taken from the appropriate approved list.
   3. When applications are made to waive financial regulations relating to contracts to enable a price to be negotiated without competition the reason shall be embodied in a recommendation to the council.
   4. Such invitation to tender shall state the general nature of the intended contract and the Clerk shall obtain the necessary technical assistance to prepare a specification in appropriate cases. The invitation shall in addition state that tenders must be addressed to the Clerk in the ordinary course of post. Each tendering firm shall be supplied with a specifically marked envelope in which the tender is to be sealed and remain sealed until the prescribed date for opening tenders for that contract.
   5. All sealed tenders shall be opened at the same time on the prescribed date by the Clerk in the presence of at least one member of council.
   6. If less than three tenders are received for contracts above £60,000 or if all the tenders are identical the council may make such arrangements as it thinks fit for procuring the goods or materials or executing the works.
   7. Any invitation to tender issued under this regulation shall be subject to Financial Regulations 11d and shall refer to the terms of the Bribery Act 2010.
   8. When it is to enter into a contract of less than £60,000 in value for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works or specialist services other than such goods, materials, works or specialist services as are excepted as set out in paragraph (a) the Clerk or RFO shall obtain 3 quotations (priced descriptions of the proposed supply); where the value is below £3,000 and above £100 the Clerk or RFO shall strive to obtain 3 estimates. Otherwise, Regulation 10 (3) shall apply and up to £100 the Clerk has the power to spend.
   9. The council shall not be obliged to accept the lowest or any tender, quote or estimate.
   10. Should it occur that the council does not accept any tender, quote or estimate, the work is not allocated and the council requires further pricing, provided that the specification does not change, no person shall be permitted to submit a later tender, estimate or quote who was present when the original decision making process was being undertaken.
   11. The European Union Procurement Directive shall apply and the terms of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006 including thresholds shall be followed.