The Finance and Resources Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to discuss a range of topics, including the anti-racism strategy and action plan, the annual report on complaints, a sustainable procurement strategy, a social value procurement policy, and the replacement of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution programme. The committee, chaired by Councillor Mary Rasmussen, will be considering these items as part of their overview and scrutiny function, which includes finance and budget matters, corporate services, and performance.

Anti-Racism Strategy and Action Plan

The committee is scheduled to discuss the development of a city-wide anti-racism strategy and an organisational action plan for Liverpool City Council. According to the report pack, the council aims to become an actively anti-racist organisation and promote this approach across the city, working with the Liverpool Strategic Partnership.

The report pack states that the council has:

• Developed a strong evidence base built up from quantitative and qualitative data from council, partner organisations and the community.
• Undertaken comprehensive community engagement.
• Considered how we involve the voice of our communities in implementation and monitoring to ensure accountability.
• Established a community advisory group and are developing a monitoring framework for how we measure success and publish progress.

The report pack also notes that the findings and learning from the Liverpool Race Equality Task Force, chaired by Tracey Gore, have formed a vital part of the evidence base for this work.

The report pack indicates that emerging themes for the council action plan include greater accountability, improved staff protection and reporting, embedding anti-racism into the culture, recruitment and progression, anti-racism education and greater community engagement. Emerging themes for the city-wide strategy include access to opportunities and employment, the importance and role of education, the need to address racial trauma, culturally competent public services, tackling misinformation and sustainable community investment.

The Have Your Say, Statutory Complaints, and Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Annual Report 2024-25

The committee is scheduled to review the council's annual report on complaints received through the 'Have Your Say' scheme, as well as complaints relating to children's and adult social care. The report also includes the annual letter from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Monitoring Officer's annual report.

The 'Have Your Say' scheme is the council's scheme for dealing with most comments, compliments, and complaints. Complaints about adult social care are dealt with under the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service complaints (England) Regulations (2009). Complaints, comments, and compliments about children's social care are dealt with under The Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006.

The report pack states that Councillor Ruth Bennett has lead responsibility for complaints in governance arrangements to support a positive complaint handling culture.

The report pack notes that the council's key performance indicator (KPI) targets for customer feedback are:

• To deal with at least 25% complaints using early resolution
• To answer at least 80% complaints and comments on time
• For the number of Stage 2 complaints to be no more than 4% for Have Your Say complaints or 20% for children's social care complaints of the number of Stage 1 complaints received in the same period
• To have no more than 30 cases a year where the Ombudsman requires us to put things right following a finding of maladministration (fault) causing injustice.

Sustainable Procurement Strategy Consultation

The committee is scheduled to discuss a new Sustainable Procurement Strategy, which will succeed the Procurement Strategy that ran from 2016-2020. The report pack states that the new strategy will deliver broader consideration of local priorities and a national context with regards to the recently launched Procurement Act 2023 and revised National Procurement Policy Statement.

The report pack notes that the Procurement Act 2023 consolidates the different regimes currently governing procurement (public contracts, utilities, concessions, defence, and security) into one Act and the existing overarching principles have been replaced with new objectives:

• Promote value for money and social value
• Opportunities for SME's¹ and Social Enterprises
• Increased accountability and transparency
• Acting with (and being seen to act) with integrity
• Strengthen the framework for underperforming suppliers
• Treating suppliers consistently

The report pack states that initial themes to be considered around the new Sustainable Procurement Strategy include fairness and equality, environment, social, community and economic factors, compliance and improved service, data and reporting, systems and technology and leadership.

Social Value Commissioning and Procurement Policy

The committee is scheduled to discuss a new Social Value Commissioning and Procurement Policy, which will replace the existing Social Value Policy approved in February 2022. The report pack states that the original policy was ambitious but challenging to implement and no longer aligns with current legislation, council priorities, or national best practice.

The report pack notes that the proposed new policy introduces a more targeted and practical approach, embedding social value into all commissioning and procurement activities above £25,000 through a whole-life lens that considers social, economic, environmental, and cultural benefits.

The report pack states that the new policy will be underpinned by six design principles: practicality, strategic alignment, innovation, inclusivity, collaboration, and modernisation, and aligns with the Council Plan and 2040 Strategy.

Replacement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solution Programme – Current Position

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the replacement ERP solution programme. The report pack states that the purpose of the programme is to implement a replacement ERP solution to deliver the full scope of functionality relating to People and Organisational Culture, Finance and Procurement.

The report pack notes that the council currently has two core systems (SAP and Oracle) for Finance, Procurement, People and Organisational Culture functions, as well as several smaller, disparate systems for specific functions such as Resourcing, Learning and Development, and Contract Management.

The report pack states that the key 'drivers' for the council in undertaking this programme are that the current two core systems are both 'Tier 1', there is a 'burning platform' in that the options to remain on the current system instances is becoming increasingly limited, there are operational issues with both systems and the current council systems do not provide a solid foundation for a seamless and integrated experience for the user.

The report pack notes that the overall cost for the programme is projected at £23.75M over a 7-year project. The report pack also states that the council are expecting to start benefit realisation until year 3 of the programme.

The report pack states that Ernst & Young LLP will be implementing two technologies:

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 to support the Finance & Procurement functions.
• Midland HR i-Trent to support the HR & Payroll functions.