Commissioning Framework, purchase orders, fair tax, social responsibility, and ethical trading policies.

A review of recent changes that our suppliers need to know and feedback from those of you who attended our event in May.

Welcome to the Commissioning Framework for Northumberland County Council. This framework serves as a guiding document that outlines the principles, processes and action plan for continuous improvement across commissioning.

Commissioning plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality and achieving positive outcomes for our residents that we serve and our staff. We are committed to providing efficient, innovative, and sustainable services that meet the diverse needs of our residents. The Commissioning Framework serves as a roadmap to ensure that our commissioning activities align with our strategic objectives, promote value for money, and drive positive social impact.

This framework sets out the key principles that underpin our commissioning approach, emphasising collaboration, transparency, and residents at the heart of everything that we do. It outlines the steps involved in the commissioning process, from needs assessment and market analysis to contract management and performance evaluation.

We encourage all stakeholders, both internal and external, to familiarise themselves with this framework and actively participate in the commissioning process. Together, we can create a commissioning culture that drives innovation, fosters collaboration, and delivers services that make a positive difference in the lives of our residents.

Commissioning Framework (PDF)

Information about purchase orders and invoicing.

1. No Purchase Order, No Payment Policy

If you supply goods or services to the council you must not accept verbal or written instruction to supply goods or services from any member of staff unless they provide you with a valid purchase order number.

If you submit a non-compliant invoice, you'll receive an email advising you that your invoice is not compliant and that future invoices with no purchase order number will not be paid.

Council staff are required to issue you with a formal purchase order number for the supply of goods and services. If you do not quote a valid purchase order number on your invoice, we will contact you to ask you to provide it. The invoice will not be paid until this is supplied.

Please make sure you request a purchase order number from your council contact when an order is placed. Co-operating with this policy is one of the best ways to ensure your invoice is paid promptly.
 

2. Purchase order numbers

Our financial system produces purchase order numbers in the format ‘NCCnnnnnnn’ e.g.NCC1234567. Most PO numbers will look like this. Each order must be accompanied by a purchase order number supplied by a member of council staff. If a NCC buyer requests goods or services from you without providing you with a Purchase Order number, please refer them to this policy.

Do not accept the order until a purchase order number is provided.
 
If you have a question about an invoice or about the No Purchase Order, No Pay policy, please contact: accountspayable@northumberland.gov.uk

3. Invoices

To assist with the processing of your invoice for payment, your invoice should contain:

• your company name and address
• your VAT registration number (if applicable)
• invoice number
• invoice date
• valid purchase order number
• name of the service area requesting goods/service or council contact person
• full description of the goods/services supplied
• for each line item: quantity, description, unit price, net value, VAT rate, VAT value, line total
• invoice totals: Net, VAT, Gross

 
To ensure the timely processing and payment all invoices should be sent electronically to: accountspayable@nothumberland.gov.uk quoting a valid purchase order number.

Failure to do this may result in delays in processing your invoice and making payment to you.

NCC Purchase Order Terms and Conditions
Please see link to NCC general goods and services Purchase Order Terms and Conditions
 

The announcement of the climate emergency has increased the spotlight on sustainability in all areas of the Council. Procurement of goods, works and services is a large contributor to the overall carbon emissions of the Council. The Procurement Service has an exceptional opportunity to drive a more sustainable approach to goods, works and services the council procures, complementing the goals of the Climate Change Action Plan approved in January 2021, the Health in all Policies (HiAP) Action Plan and COVID19 economic recovery plans.

In Northumberland we have committed to the Fair Tax Foundation’s Councils for Fair Tax Declaration and join other authorities across the UK including North East councils Gateshead, Sunderland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, and Newcastle in supporting fair tax practices.

The Fair Tax Foundation has developed the Councils for Fair Tax Declaration in collaboration with UK cities, towns and districts who believe that they can and should stand up for responsible tax conduct - doing what they can within existing frameworks and pledging to do more if given the opportunity, as active supporters of tax justice.

The Declaration commits cities, towns and districts to pursuing exemplary tax conduct in their affairs, requiring greater transparency from suppliers and joining calls for more meaningful powers to tackle tax avoidance amongst suppliers when buying goods and services.

The decision to approve the Fair Tax Declaration was made in Northumberland at the beginning of 2022.
 

What is Fair Tax?

The Fair Tax Mark accreditation scheme was launched in February 2014 and seeks to encourage and recognise organisations that pay the right amount of corporation tax at the right time and in the right place.



Tax contributions are a key part of the wider social and economic contribution made by business, helping the communities in which they operate to deliver valuable public services and build the infrastructure that paves the way for growth.

The Fair Tax Foundation operates as a not-for-profit social enterprise and believes that companies paying tax responsibly should be celebrated, and any race to the bottom resisted.

Research has revealed that between 2014-19, a huge 17.5% of UK public procurement contracts – with a combined value of £37.5bn – were won by businesses with connections to a tax haven. Recent research has found that the UK loses an estimated £17bn in corporation tax revenues as a result of profit shifting alone.
 

Which other councils and organisations are supporting Fair Tax?

A list of accredited organisations is available on the Fair Tax website, while you can also check which local authorities across the country have approved the declaration.
 

Find out more

Find out more information on the Fair Tax website.

Northumberland County Council is committed to ensuring that our ethical practices to combat slavery and human trafficking are followed throughout our supply chains. This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31 March 2024

To read Northumberland County Coucil's statement Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, click here.