Issue - items at meetings - Traveller Waste Contract Procurement

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached).

That the Environment Cabinet Member approves the tender of a Traveller Waste Contract and give delegated authority to the Strategic Director Place in consultation with the Director of Finance to award the contract.

72.1               Councillor West considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place that sought approval for the procurement of a new Traveller Waste contract.

72.2               Councillor West explained that the report proposed the procurement of a new contract to manage waste and recycling for Traveller sites in the city.

The contract would cover waste removal and disposal from official and unauthorised Travellers sites on council land in Brighton & Hove, and some associated services.  The scope of the proposed contract also includes some services for the Horsdean Transit Site.

Councillor West stated the he had asked a team of officers to look at how the council could ensure it gets value for money out of the new contract and they had looked at what elements of the service could be better provided in-house.

The officers had identified potential savings in the region of £24K per annum if the in-house CityClean team took over weekly collections from the Horsdean Transit site and he was therefore proposing that this element is brought in-house.

Councillor West stated that he was pleased that this saving was identified and would also ensure that travellers visiting Horsdean get the same level of service as other residents in the city

Councillor West explained that officers would also look to utilise the council’s Housing Repairs & Improvement partner Mears Limited for some of the repairs to the Horsdean site

Councillor West noted that the contract would aim to increase levels of recycling and reduce waste, litter and fly-tipping associated with unauthorised encampments at the Horsdean transit site.  The Council would also work to increase awareness amongst Travellers and take enforcement action where necessary in order to achieve this

Councillor West stated that the procurement would include stipulations to ensure the successful bidder had high sustainability standards including minimising carbon emissions from their operations, reducing waste sent to land-fill and maximising recycling

The procurement would follow European Union OJEU regulations and the new contract should be awarded towards the end of August 2012.

72.3               Councillor Theobald suggested that this policy could lead to more unauthorised encampments. He also believed the costs of the service provision to official sites should be paid for by the Travellers based there. Councillor Theobald also commented that the financial implications of the report were of a poor standard and out-dated.

72.4               Councillor West replied that the report recommended savings to a contract agreed by Councillor Theobald when he was Cabinet Member for Environment. Councillor West stated that it was essential to normalise conditions at unauthorised sites to reflect those across the city.

72.5               Councillor Mitchell provided her support for the new contract if it was to deliver £24,000 in savings on the current contract. She enquired as to the cost of the current contract and the tendered contract. Councillor Mitchell expressed her disappointment that this information had not been included in the report.

72.6               The Head of Housing & Social Inclusion replied that the specification of the new contract task-based with contractors bidding against this specification. He assured Councillor Mitchell that he would provide details of the cost of the current contract to her after the meeting.

72.7               RESOLVED- That the Environment Cabinet Member approves the tender of a Traveller Waste Contract and give delegated authority to the Strategic Director Place in consultation with the Director of Finance to award the contract.