Online Procrement Auction Produces Savings for ALMO
East North East Homes Leeds (ENEHL) made savings in excess of £60,000 by using eAuctions – which are essentially electronic auctions in reverse.
ENEHL, which is one of the three organisations that manage and maintain council housing on behalf of Leeds City Council, has made savings of between 13% and 20% by using the system.
Developed with electronic procurement company Ariba, the system works like eBay, but in reverse. Companies submit bids for business and try to achieve the most competitive price to win the contract.
eAuctions are simple to use, reducing the paper trail and driving the principle of value for money across the organisation.
This new way of working opens the door for the ALMO to undertake pre-approved contractor procurement events that will give 'real time' feedback to suppliers on their bids. It also allows for quick decisions to be made.
Council to Issue Fines to Control ASB
Nottingham City Council will be extending the powers given to its Community Protection Officers, allowing them to hand out fixed penalty notices from £50 up to £300 for a variety of offences.
Such offences could include keeping car engines running, leaving rubbish bins on the street or smoking in a non-smoking zone.
The Council's Chief AntiSocial Behaviour Officer Richard Antcliff confirmed that the powers were part of new "delegations" given to its Community Protection Officers (CPOs). He said:
"CPOs are council officers who deal with low-level antisocial behaviour and day-to-day annoyances.
"They are uniformed officers, they fit under the police banner. They are effectively seconded back into the police.
"They have always had fixed penalty notice powers for things such as graffiti and littering. What we have now given them is some more powers."
Mr Antcliff added that the power to fine people for leaving their car engines running was to tackle a specific problem of taxis waiting in non-allocated areas. Whilst the power can be used in other circumstances, it would not necessarily mean anyone in a stationary car with the engine running would be fined.
Just a week earlier, the City Council announced that it was considering a ban on street drinking, involving fixed penalty notices and fines of up to £500. This could be in force as early as next year.
