Agenda item

B Report of Director of Customer and Communities (Copy herewith)

1.    Cabinet reaffirmed its firm commitment to ensuring the views of local people inform the way environmental services are delivered when new arrangements are put in place in June 2018.

2.    Cabinet noted that consultation with borough residents, community groups and councillors was currently still ongoing and, once complete, would be collated and analysed so that responses could be used to inform bidders of the council’s preferences as to the way environmental services would be delivered in the town from June 2018.

3.    Cabinet approved the Business Case attached at Appendix A of the report

4.    Cabinet agreed to procure environmental services (waste, recycling, grounds maintenance, street cleansing and other ancillary services) as a single lot.

5.    Cabinet agreed to a contract length of up to10 years, plus extension provisions up to a further 10 years (extension provisions to be subject to future cabinet approval).

6.    Cabinet agreed to use the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation as its chosen procurement procedure.

7.    Cabinet agreed to the development of an outcome based services specification and to negotiation with bidders on strategic aspects of service design so as to encourage innovation, quality, value for money and affordability.

8.    Cabinet approved the procurement timetable outlined in the report.

9.    Cabinet approved the contract award criteria outlined in the report

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10.Cabinet agreed that the award of the contract will be based on the most economically advantageous tender assessed from the point of view of the contracting authority, that the contract award criteria is on the basis of price and quality, that these are equally weighted and that that the weighting to be applied to the criteria stays the same at both initial tender stage and final tender stage.

11.Cabinet agreed to the non-mandatory provision of the council’s depots.

12.Cabinet delegated to the Director of Customers and Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Borough Secretary, authority to take all necessary steps to progress the environmental services procurement process provided such steps are consistent with the recommendations of this Cabinet Report.

13.Cabinet noted that further reports would be brought to cabinet to advise of progress with the environmental services re-provision procurement process in April, July and September 2017, with a final report being brought to cabinet in December 2017 to seek agreement to award contract.

Councillor B Markham commented that he had some concerns about the 10 year contract with potential to extend for a further 2 years, specifically if the contractors were not fulfilling their obligations throughout the entirety of the contract and whether the Council would be able to discontinue the contract. He further commented that consideration should be given to utilising low emission vehicles to carry out the contract work as there was a need to consider the environmental impact of possible pollution.

Councillor Stone commented that she considered political consent across all the parties to be extremely important and commented that the relevant information had not been shared with the opposition groups. She further commented that she had little confidence in the procurement procedure and noted that she considered there to be too much emphasis on the economics rather than the quality and service to be provided and questioned the lack of delegation to the Finance Team in the procurement process.

Councillor Smith commented that she was pleased that there had been so many responses to the survey undertaken as this showed residents interest and passion and demonstrated residents displeasure with the current contract. She expressed concerns that the Council could be tied into a contract for a long period of time and questioned whether there would be a flexibility in the arrangements with the contractors. She reported that the failings experienced with the current contract had urged the Cabinet to have due regard for the quality of service provided and not just the costs.

Councillor Hallam as the relevant Cabinet Members submitted a report and elaborated thereon, he explained that there had been an extensive consultation with residents on what levels of services they would like; he further noted that consultation had been conducted on a level never done before by the Council as they had wanted to engage and involve as many residents as possible. In response to questions asked, he stated that they would examine break clauses in the contract and that the contract would not necessarily be fixed for 10 years, but that there would be a degree of flexibility.

The Leader stated that the result of the consultation had been undertaken across Northampton and that the decision to enter into a new contract had been taken with expert advice having been given. He noted that the Auditors had also been involved in scrutinising the finances of the contract and therefore they hoped to deliver the best service with the best quality and value.

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet reaffirmed its firm commitment to ensuring the views of local people inform the way environmental services are delivered when new arrangements are put in place in June 2018.

2.    That it be noted that consultation with borough residents, community groups and councillors was currently still ongoing and, once completed, would be collated and analysed so that responses could be used to inform bidders of the council’s preferences as to the way environmental services would be delivered in the town from June 2018.

3.    That the Business Case attached at Appendix A of the report be approved.

4.    That environmental services be procured (waste, recycling, grounds maintenance, street cleansing and other ancillary services) as a single lot.

5.    That a contract length of up to10 years, plus extension provisions up to a further 10 years (extension provisions to be subject to future cabinet approval) be agreed.

6.    That the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation as its chosen procurement procedure be agreed.

7.    That the development of an outcome based services specification be and to negotiation with bidders on strategic aspects of service design so as to encourage innovation, quality, value for money and affordability be agreed

8.    That the procurement timetable outlined in the report be approved.

9.    That the contract award criteria outlined in the report be approved

.

10.That the award of the contract be based on the most economically advantageous tender assessed from the point of view of the contracting authority, that the contract award criteria be on the basis of price and quality, that those are equally weighted and that that the weighting be applied to the criteria stays the same at both initial tender stage and final tender stage.

11.That the non-mandatory provision of the council’s depots be agreed.

12.That authority be delegated to the Director of Customers and Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment and the Borough Secretary, to take all necessary steps to progress the environmental services procurement process provided such steps are consistent with the recommendations of this Cabinet Report.

13.That further reports be brought to cabinet to advise of progress with the environmental services re-provision procurement process in April, July and September 2017, with a final report being brought to cabinet in December 2017 to seek agreement to award contract.