Agenda item

The current contract for waste, recycling and street cleaning ends on 31 March 2014.  This report sets out the proposals for a new contract to manage ’Public Realm’ services of waste, recycling, street cleaning and grounds maintenance and requests approval to invite tenders as required by Contract Standing Orders 88 and 89.  The aim for the new contract is to improve resident satisfaction through greater joining up of services whilst delivering financial savings.

(i)         that approval be given to the Council participating in a collaborative procurement and service delivery exercise known as ‘Managing the Public Realm’ for the provision of waste, recycling, street cleaning and grounds maintenance services;

(ii)        that it be noted that Brent will act as the Lead Authority for the procurement exercise;

(iii)       that officers invite tenders for the Managing the Public Realm Services contract in accordance with paragraphs 2.4 and 2.5 of the report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services;

(iv)       that approval be given to an exemption from Contract Standing Order 88 to allow an advert to be placed and a pre-qualification process to be run without the approval of evaluation criteria and certain other pre-tender considerations, subject to approval of such matters at a future Executive;

(v)        that approval be given to certain pre-tender considerations for the proposed Managing the Public Realm Services contract as set out in paragraph 3.8.5 of the Director’s report;

(vi)       that the proposed interim governance arrangements set out in paragraph 3.7.1 be noted and Officers report back to the Executive for approval to final governance arrangements once developed further;

(vii)      that agreement be given to an amendment of £6.2m to the Council’s capital budget for 2012/13 to procure a new depot as set out in section 3.6 of the report.  If a suitable site is identified, due to the reasons set out in paragraph 3.6.6 of the Director’s report, that the final terms of any acquisition including the purchase price be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services in consultation with their respective Lead Members. Such purchase price to be contained within the amendment to the Council’s capital budget as set out within this report.

Councillor Powney (Lead Member, Environment and Neighbourhoods) introduced the report which set out proposals for a new contract to manage “public realm’ services (namely waste, recycling, street cleaning and grounds maintenance) the current contract due to end on 31 March 2014.  Councillor Powney explained that by having a number of activities in one contract and collaborating with other boroughs, significant savings could be achieved. Members heard that since the publication of the original report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services one of the boroughs due to be involved in the partnership arrangement had decided that the timing of the contract meant it would not be in their interests to participate in the joint procurement.  A supplementary report circulated in advance of the meeting provided an update and advised that the business case for proceeding with Barnet and Hounslow remained robust. Three options were set out in the Director’s report: Option 1, a Brent Council and Brent Housing Partnership (BHP) public realm contract; Option 2, a full collaborative approach and on-going management across the boroughs of Brent, Barnet, Richmond and Hounslow and BHP; and Option 3, joint procurement only across the four boroughs. Members were being recommended to adopt Option 2. Councillor Powney outlined the recommendations in the report which included the authorisation of an amendment to the capital programme to procure a new depot should a suitable site be identified.

During questions members raised the possible impact on the parks service and heard that the contract specification would in time set out individual council’s requirements. It was noted that the comparisons would be between the bidders based on the current situation.

The Executive agreed the recommendations in the Director’s report.

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that approval be given to the Council participating in a collaborative procurement and service delivery exercise known as ‘Managing the Public Realm’ for the provision of waste, recycling, street cleaning and grounds maintenance services;

(ii)        that it be noted that Brent will act as the Lead Authority for the procurement exercise;

(iii)       that officers invite tenders for the Managing the Public Realm Services contract in accordance with paragraphs 2.4 and 2.5 of the report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services;

(iv)       that approval be given to an exemption from Contract Standing Order 88 to allow an advert to be placed and a pre-qualification process to be run without the approval of evaluation criteria and certain other pre-tender considerations, subject to approval of such matters at a future Executive;

(v)        that approval be given to certain pre-tender considerations for the proposed Managing the Public Realm Services contract as set out in paragraph 3.8.5 of the Director’s report as amended;

(vi)       that the proposed interim governance arrangements set out in paragraph 3.7.1 be noted and officers report back to the Executive for approval to final governance arrangements once developed further;

(vii)      that agreement be given to an amendment of £6.2m to the Council’s capital budget for 2012/13 to procure a new depot as set out in section 3.6 of the report.  If a suitable site is identified, due to the reasons set out in paragraph 3.6.6 of the Director’s report, that the final terms of any acquisition including the purchase price be delegated to the Director of Regeneration and Major Projects and the Deputy Director of Finance in consultation with their respective Lead Members. Such purchase price to be contained within the amendment to the Council’s capital budget as set out within this report.