Decision details

Cleared Sites Contract 2018-22

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

The Council’s current Cleared Sites Contract is used to manage and maintain cleared Council owned sites (predominantly housing demolition sites) prior to their eventual disposal and/or development. This contract expires on 31 March 2018.

 

In order to keep these sites tidy, safe and well-maintained, the Council will need to re-procure the contract and secure a contractor to deliver a range of landscaping and maintenance services over the coming years.

Decision:

i)             To approve the procurement of a contractor, by way of competitive tender, to deliver the services that forms the Cleared Sites Contract 2018-22.

 

ii)            To grant delegated powers to the Director of Financial and Commercial Services or their nominated representative to accept tenders and enter into all necessary contract award documentation for this project, in consultation with the Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods Service.

Reasons for the decision:

The current Cleared Sites contract expires on 31 March 2018. The re-procurement and award of a new contract to cover the period 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2022 will allow for the continued management of the sites in the programme, keeping them tidy, well-maintained and safe, as well as increasing the attractiveness of the sites to potential developers as and when they are advertised for sale and development.

Alternative options considered:

Do nothing

One alternative option to re-procuring the Cleared Sites contract would be to let the current contract expire and not renew it. Whilst there would be obvious and immediate cost savings associated with this approach, the option was disregarded due to the substantial potential problems – both reputational and financial – that could arise if the cleared sites were not being maintained adequately. Many sites would become overgrown and unmanageable very quickly, and past experience suggests that poorly maintained sites attract increased instances of fly tipping and other anti-social behaviour, as well as reducing the potential saleability and develop ability of the land. Sites could very easily become trouble spots and excessive plant and weed growth could hide numerous dangers (hazardous tipped materials, drug paraphernalia, broken glass, etc.), jeopardising the safety of local residents.

 

Deliver the contract in-house

Another alternative to procuring an external contractor would be to use an in-house team from Parks & Countryside to carry out the works. However, the in-house service is currently unable to deliver this contract and has declined the opportunity.

 

Publication date: 22/03/2018

Date of decision: 22/03/2018

Effective from: 29/03/2018

Accompanying Documents: