The Gershon Review of Public Sector Efficiency (www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spending_sr04_efficiency.htm) and Sir Ian Byatt’s report Delivering Better
ervices for Citizens (www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1138148), a review of local government procurement, stated that "Elected members should take a strategic role in securing quality outcomes. This should include scrutinising the procurement processes and monitoring the outcomes of procurements. There should be clear political responsibility for procurement with appropriate training. Members’ involvement should be executive direction and decisions on strategic projects; scrutiny and challenge of all major projects to ensure that they support council and community strategies."

In responce to these reviews Swindon Borough Council formed the Procurement Advisory Group (PAG) made up of Elected Members and Officers in March 2005, their primary function to act as an informed independent review body using the Gateway Review Process to aid decisions on selected major areas of procurement. Swindon Borough Council’s Gateway Review Process is modelled on the Government OGC Gateway Model (www.ogc.gov.uk).

Gateway Review Process

Swindon Borough Council’s Gateway Review Process has been simplified and streamlined to meet the Council’s specific needs and is a discipline that controls the way the Council approaches and undertakes major expenditure. It is designed to help Elected Members and Officers to work together by providing a transparent view of the process in order for both parties to undertake their respective roles effectively, thus delivering best value outcomes for the Council.

There are five Gateway Reviews during the lifecycle of a project; three take place prior to contract award and two after. Stages four and five of the Gateway Process examine service implementation and confirmation of operation benefits.