Issue - meetings

Grounds Maintenance Contract Award

Meeting: 23/09/2021 - Cabinet (Item 35)

35 Grounds Maintenance Contract Award pdf icon PDF 271 KB

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Leisure & Culture

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

i)        To approve the award of the grounds maintenance contract to the highest scoring bidder, on the terms recommended, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report (exempt).

ii)       To delegate authority to the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Head of Legal & Democratic Services, to finalise terms and conditions and to enter into the contract with the highest scoring bidder.

 

REASON

 

To enable the Council to continue to carry out grounds maintenance services across the parks and countryside portfolio.

Minutes:

Councillor Roger Noel, Cabinet Member for Leisure & Culture advised that the current Grounds Maintenance contract ended on 31 January 2022 and a procurement process had been followed to ensure that a new contract would be in place before February 2022.  The key aim of the new contract will be to: support the Wilder Horsham District initiative; contribute to the Council’s sustainability and carbon reduction ambitions; and delivery effective grounds maintenance and ensure value for money. 

 

The new contract would cover additional areas to the previous one including bin emptying and litter picking at Southwater Country Park and Horsham Park, and reactive work such as minor repairs to seating etc, and ditch clearance. 

 

Work in cemeteries would include hedge trimming and grass cutting, but not upkeep of the graves which were in private ownership.  The Cabinet Member reassured Members that all sensitive aspects of cemetery work would continue to be carried out by Council staff. 

 

In response to concerns that the cemeteries were overgrown and looked unkempt, the Cabinet Member advised that the unusual weather had led to unexpected growth, and this situation was now under control.  He also assured Members that cemetery work undertaken by the contractors would be in agreement with Council staff.  

 

The Cabinet Member acknowledged the benefit of coordinating grass cutting and litter collection schedules and would ensure that the contractor and Council officers worked together to coordinate these.

 

RESOLVED

 

i)        To approve the award of the grounds maintenance contract to the highest scoring bidder, on the terms recommended, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report (exempt).

ii)       To delegate authority to the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Head of Legal & Democratic Services, to finalise terms and conditions and to enter into the contract with the highest scoring bidder.

 

REASON

 

To enable the Council to continue to carry out grounds maintenance services across the parks and countryside portfolio.