The Prompt Payment Code

Fareham Borough Council signed up to the Prompt Payment Code  in April 2013. We recognise that prompt payment is critical to the cash flow of every business, and especially to smaller businesses within the supply chain.

The Prompt Payment Code is about encouraging and promoting best practice between organisations and their suppliers. By signing up to the code, we commit to paying our suppliers within clearly defined terms, and commit also to ensuring there is a proper process for dealing with any issues that may arise.

We hope this means that we can build strong relationships with our suppliers, safe in the knowledge that they will be paid, and confident that they are working with a council that values the service they provide.

The Prompt Payment Code signatories undertake to:

1. Pay suppliers on time

• Within the terms agreed at the outset of the contract
• Without attempting to change payment terms retrospectively
• Without changing practice on length of payment for smaller companies on unreasonable grounds

2. Give clear guidance to suppliers

• Providing suppliers with clear and easily accessible guidance on payment procedures
• Ensuring there is a system for dealing with complaints and disputes which is communicated to suppliers
• Advising them promptly if there is any reason why an invoice will not be paid to the agreed terms

3. Encourage good practice

• By requesting that lead suppliers encourage adoption of the code throughout their own supply chains

Prompt Payment - Complaints or Disputes related to Fareham Borough Council Purchase Orders

If you are experiencing payment delay for an invoice you have sent us for completed works, goods or services, please contact our Exchequer Services exchequer@fareham.gov.uk quoting the purchase order reference and invoice number.

Prompt Payment - Complaints or Disputes related to working with Main Contractors or Suppliers to the Council

If you are engaged as a sub-contractor to a Main Contractor or Supplier of the Council and find your invoices are not being paid to the terms you agreed with the contractor/supplier you should:

1. Check if the Main Contractor/Supplier has signed up to the Prompt Payment Code .  If the Prompt Payment Code site shows that it has, click on the "challenge" button and follow the process described
2. If the Main Contractor/Supplier has not signed up to the code and is not responding to your request for payment, please contact the Council's Procurement Officer procurement@fareham.gov.uk providing a summary of the situation