Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance which sought approval to an extension of twelve months to the existing contract for Parking and Environmental Enforcement and to negotiate with the one tenderer on their submission.

Decision Made: That

(1)       approval be given to the extension of the current contract for parking enforcement and environmental enforcement for twelve months until the 31 March 2018;

(2)       approval be given to officers entering into a negotiated process with tenderer No 1  in relation to the proposed new contract, due to competition being absent for Technical Reasons;

(3)       Officers report on the outcome of the negotiated process to the Cabinet Member - Regulation, Compliance and Corporate Services;

(4)       following on from the negotiated process and subject to it being successful, the Cabinet Member - Regulation, Compliance and Corporate Services request the Head of Regulation and Compliance to draw up an appropriate contract with tenderer No 1; and

(5)       it be noted that the proposal was a Key Decision but had not been included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions. Consequently, the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services) had been consulted under Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made by the Cabinet as a matter of urgency on the basis that it was impracticable to defer the decision until the commencement of the next Forward Plan because there was a need to ensure that an enforcement provision was in place for 1April 2017 and agreement was needed to be reached by early January 2017 with the existing provider and sole tenderer.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure that the service of parking and environmental enforcement was provided to the Council at the most advantageous rate. 

When this service was originally procured, it was procured on the basis of a core contract period of 5 years with no optional extension periods. The value of this contract was above the current EU Spend Threshold. Where an extension period was not provided for within the original OJEU Contract Notice and the value of the contract is above the current EU Spend Threshold, the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules allow the Council to grant an extension, on a short term basis, in exceptional circumstances. Officers consider that the combination of factors in this case (i.e. single tenderer; submitted tender price beyond current budgetary provision; uncertain future budgetary position; statutory duty to provide enforcement service; and the Council’s desire to develop an enhanced service to that currently provided) represent exceptional circumstances and are therefore proposing a contract extension as the most appropriate immediate course of action. The value of the proposed contract extension requires authorisation by Cabinet.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.