Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – PLACE

This report seeks approval to award the Leisure and Active Communities Contract, due to commence on 1 April 2024.

Details of decisions taken on the item are restricted due to the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 or Part 1 of Schedule 12A of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

N.B. This item was considered in restricted session and therefore no recordings were available.

The Executive Member for Environment and Leisure presented the report entitled ‘Leisure Management Contract Award – Part 2’.

Councillor Steve Jarvis proposed and Councillor Ian Albert seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Cabinet agreed to award the Leisure and Active Communities Contract to the successful bidder highlighted in the Part 2 report. Subject to Standstill period.

REASON FOR DECISION: The leisure management contracts expire on 31 March 2024. The recommendation ensures the procurement can be undertaken and completed within the project timescales, enabling the successful ongoing provision of leisure services in North Herts.

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – PLACE

This report seeks approval to award the Leisure and Active Communities Contract, due to commence on 1 April 2024.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet agreed to award the Leisure and Active Communities Contract to the successful bidder highlighted in the Part 2 report. Subject to Standstill period.

REASON FOR DECISION: The leisure management contracts expire on 31 March 2024. The recommendation ensures the procurement can be undertaken and completed within the project timescales, enabling the successful ongoing provision of leisure services in North Herts.

Audio recording – 1 hour 4 minutes 25 seconds

The Executive Member for Environment and Leisure presented the report entitled, ‘Leisure Management Contract Award’ and advised:

·       The leisure management contract expired on 31 March 2024 and a process of procuring a new operator had been undertaken.

·       The procurement process for a new contract had begun with five leisure operators, which had been reduced to two bidders where quality, price and social value had been evaluated.

·       Officers and consultants had provided advice and insights into custom and  practice and ensuring correct responses were received from the bidders.

·       A preferred bidder had been identified in Part 2 of the report.

·       The identity of the new bidder could not be announced until the end of the Standstill period.

·       He wanted to thank Stevenage Leisure, the current leisure provider for North Herts, for the very good service they had always given the Council over a significant period of time.

In response to a question from Councillor Ruth Brown, the Service Director – Place advised:

·       There was capital funding allocated for the Royston gym extension.

·       Both bidders had provided additional capital investment in their submissions which would be put into facilities and that this would become clear after the Standstill period.

·       Both bidders had provided comprehensive responses on how they would deliver programmes which would assist with different types of fitness and how they would target different age groups.

·       The priority for both bidders was not just the leisure centres they would run, but also the outreach facilities they would deliver.

Councillor Steve Jarvis proposed, and Ian Albert seconded, and following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Cabinet agreed to award the Leisure and Active Communities Contract to the successful bidder highlighted in the Part 2 report. Subject to Standstill period.

REASON FOR DECISION: The leisure management contracts expire on 31 March 2024. The recommendation ensures the procurement can be undertaken and completed within the project timescales, enabling the successful ongoing provision of leisure services in North Herts.

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – PLACE

To inform Cabinet that officers are currently undergoing a competitive dialogue procurement and are seeking a decision from Cabinet on further service design options that can be considered in order to achieve the long[1]term financial sustainability of the service and the Council.

RESOLVED:

(1)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 c) of the report relating to the three-weekly collection of separated paper and cardboard predominantly in bins and the three weekly collection of the remaining dry mixed recycling (A 3,3,3 cycle as described in Appendix 3) be implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract which commences in 2025, the implementation date shall be delegated to the Service Director: Place in consultation with Project Board (in any event to be within four months of contract commencement).

(2)   That Cabinet agreed that in the event that the Council is required to make a decision to provide fortnightly collection of residual waste that the dry recycling service shall be fully commingled.

(3)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 d) of the report relating to the removal of the requirement for a continuous street cleansing presence in town centres and moving the back to standard time to 9am be implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract in 2025.

(4)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 e) relating to a removal of approximately 30% of litter bins from predominantly outside the town centres be implemented during the mobilisation of new waste recycling and street cleansing contract for 2025.

(5)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 f) relating to a change to an input specification for high-speed road cleansing to once per year be implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract in 2025.

(6)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 g) relating to the removal of dedicated seasonal leaf fall management be implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract in 2025.

(7)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 h) relating to an extension of the bin delivery/repair Service Level Agreement (SLA) from 5 days to 9 days being implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract in 2025.

(8)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 i) relating to an extension of the missed bin rectification SLA from 5pm the next working day to 72 hours except for missed whole streets which will remain 5pm the next working day, being implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract in 2025.

(9)   That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 j) relating to a change in street cleansing SLAs being implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract in 2025.

(10)         That Cabinet agreed the service changes described in 8.2 k) relating to reducing the number of items collected as part of bulky waste services from six to three being implemented as part of the new waste recycling and street cleansing contract in 2025.

(11)         That Cabinet noted that the Capital expenditure identified in 10.3 of this report will need to be added to the  ...  view the full decision text for item 239

Audio recording – 22 minutes 40 seconds

The Executive Member for Recycling and Waste presented the report entitled ‘Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing Contract Service Design’ and advised that:

·       This was the largest spend on service contracts each year for the Council and it was a very high-profile service.

·       This service had a significant impact on finances and it also influenced the ability to reach carbon reduction.

·       The decision reached would also affect our partner East Herts Council and Hertfordshire County Council.

·       During the summer of 2022 officers had worked with Members and partners to design a service to meet financial and environmental sustainability objectives.

·       Officers had taken this to the market through a procurement process and were currently in dialogue with the bidders.

·       The aim was to reduce the burden of significant cost increases that the Council would face if changes were not made at this stage of the procurement.

·       The proposed changes to waste collection gave residents more opportunities to recycle by providing more recycling capacity.

·       The financial implications were discussed in Part 2 of the report.

·       The procurement timeline was tight and Members were asked to be mindful of the significant negative impact that would result by delays in procurement.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Alistair Willoughby

·       Councillor Elizabeth Dennis

·       Councillor Ruth Brown

In response to questions, the Service Manager – Waste advised that:

·       There would be a window of opportunity to change the contract once signed in relation to anticipated changes, such as decisions arising from the outcome of the government consultation to waste collection guidance.

·       The specification of three weekly residual waste collections presented financial and environmental benefits.

·       Extended Producer Responsibility targeted to be introduced from October 2024. However, the charging system to businesses was unknown and Councils would need to be able to demonstrate that they were effective and efficient in their operations. The definition of effective and efficient was also unknown.

·       The government wanted to implement the introduction of the deposit return scheme in 2025.

·       The Council was still waiting for clarity regarding the new burdens funding.

·       For extended producer responsibility the government expects it to generate new funding for Councils to improve collection of packaging waste. Our new service design includes the collection of soft plastics from 2025 alongside the new three weekly collection service.

·       The bidders generally operate zonal systems for waste collections which means that they would still collect missed bins swiftly. But  allowing a longer target allows the bidders to reduce their risk pricing against the performance management regime.

·       The proposals would help manage costs with no significant impact to residents on service levels.

·       The SLA on bin deliveries ensured that residents would always have a bin for their next collection.

During the debate, Councillor Ian Albert advised that the Council needed to make sure it provided a quality and affordable service that worked well for its residents.

Councillor Elizabeth Dennis advised that the Council had a statutory duty to provide waste collection for its residents despite local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 239

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – PLACE

Cabinet agreed the service design for the new waste, recycling and street cleansing contract on 25 October 2022, along with new aims and principles of the Shared Service, based around delivering services which are both financially and environmentally sustainable.

Officers are currently undergoing a competitive dialogue procurement and are seeking a decision from Cabinet on further service design options that will be taken forward with the intention of supporting the long-term financial sustainability of the service and the Council.

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the recommendations in the report to Cabinet and requested that Cabinet takes into account the comments and questions made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in Part 1 and Part 2 when making their final decision.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION: To ensure Cabinet reviews and considers the comments and questions made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee when considering the final recommendations of the Waste, Recycling and Street Cleaning Contract Service Design.

Audio Recording 55 minutes 36 seconds.

The Executive Member for Recycling and Waste Management presented the report entitled ‘Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing Contract Service Design’ and highlighted that:

·       This contract represents the largest service contract spend for the Council each year and would have a huge impact on residents.

·       The contract would have a significant impact on the finances of the Council and would influence the ability of the Council to achieve their carbon reduction and sustainability aims.

·       Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) bear the cost of residual waste disposal.

·       Officers had worked with Members and East Herts District Council (EHDC) to meet the contract sustainability objectives, prior to taking this contract out to tender.

·       There would be a change of affordability for the Council, but this report contained recommendations to limit the increase in the anticipated contract costs.

·       The proposed changes gave residents more capacity to recycle and were the most financially sustainable solutions for the Council.

·       There was a tight procurement timeline and any delays may result in greater cost implications.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Nigel Mason

·       Councillor Ralph Muncer

·       Councillor David Levett

·       Councillor Matt Barnes

·       Councillor Adam Compton

·       Councillor Daniel Wright-Mason

In response to questions the Shared Service Manager, Waste Management stated:

·       The additional capital bin cost related to the change to the 3,3,3 bin collection model and not for the 2 weekly collection schedule, should this be required to take place.

·       The pricing of the additional, new bins was competitive due the volume that would be ordered, however the Council did not have any storage available to have vast surplus stocks of bins.

·       Replacing an individual bin would cost more per unit than the large scale procurement of the extra bins. Previously when bin replacements were included as a general provision in the waste contract, compared with paying on a unit basis, it cost more than it does now.

·       The feedback from the public consultation showed that residents wanted to improve recycling and their ability to recycle as highlighted in 8.33 of the report.

·       North Herts residents recycled about 57% of their rubbish, but the aim was to reach St Albans and Three Rivers who were the top recycling performers in the Country.

·       There was a soft plastics recycling trial occurring in Knebworth, to learn about how residents would use the service. This would be district wide in 2025 and soft plastics would be collected in the containers bin.

·       Any mismatch of coloured bins may confuse the collection staff, and the majority of unused brown bins had been collected or would need significant cleaning to be viable to be used for other collection purposes, which was unlikely to have any significant cost savings.

·       The previous change of bin colour from grey to purple had been supported by a high level of communication.

·       There would be full colour alignment throughout East and North Herts District Councils.

·       Occupiers of terrace houses would have an opt in choice due to their volume and storage needs, they  ...  view the full minutes text for item 258