Issue - meetings

The Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That the 2006/07 Capital Programme be amended to provide a sum of up to £1.2m through prudential borrowing to fund the purchase of 10 new refuse collection vehicles.

            The Executive Board had considered a report requesting agreement to the procurement of 10 new refuse collection vehicles via direct purchase funded from the Council’s capital budget rather than through the lease arrangements currently used. Procurement was proposed to be undertaken through a partnership with an established framework, and an amendment to the 2006/07 capital programme was sought.

            The Portfolio Holder for Environment, Leisure and Sport undertook to respond in writing to a question raised by the Principal Opposition about the procurement route taken.

            RESOLVED: That the 2006/07 Capital Programme be amended to provide a sum of up to £1.2million through prudential borrowing to fund the purchase of 10 new refuse collection vehicles.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Environment requesting agreement to procure ten new refuse collection vehicles via direct purchase funded from the Council’s capital budget rather than through the lease arrangements currently used. It was noted that the procurement was to be undertaken through a partnership with an established framework and an amendment to the 2006/07 capital programme was sought.

            It was advised that the current fleet had been procured in 1999 through an operating lease arrangement that expired on 12^th December 2006. However, as a new Council Waste Management Strategy had been in development over the past year, and in order to provide time for this work to be completed, it had been agreed that the renewal of the lease arrangement be deferred until 31 March 2007. Arrangements needed to be in place by 1 April 2007 in order to avoid high maintenance costs and an unreliable refuse collection service.

            The report outlined details of the proposed procurement arrangement which would yield an estimated net revenue saving of £100,000 per year over the annual cost of a seven-year contract hire arrangement based on the procurement of ten vehicles. The ten vehicles represented the core fleet and those in need of the most urgent replacement.

            The officers involved in bringing this to fruition were congratulated.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)               the full Council be recommended to amend the 2006/07 Capital Programme to provide a sum of up to £1.2m through prudential borrowing to fund the purchase of 10 new refuse collection vehicles, and subject to full Council agreeing to amend the Capital programme to make the purchase;

(2)               the Operational Director for Highways and Transportation, in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Environment, Leisure and Sport, be authorised to procure 10 new refuse collection vehicles through direct purchase;

(3)               procurement be undertaken through partnership working with an established framework of an appropriate Procurement Organisation; and

(4)               Procurement Standing Orders 2.1 to 2.6 and 2.8 to 2.14 be waived for the reason that insufficient time is available to undertake a procurement process in compliance with the statutory procurement procedures.