Agenda item

            The Sub-Committee was advised that at present Liverpool Housing Trust (LHT), Riverside Housing Trust (RHT), Corporative Development Services (CDS) and Maritime Housing Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) who had properties mostly in the Runcorn New Town area had between them 14 contracts for the delivery of landscape maintenance and cleansing on their respective land holdings.

            All four RSLs were acutely aware that this current arrangement did not provide a good level of service, often led to confusion of responsibility and did not offer the best value for money. The four RSLs led by the largest partner, LHT had, over the past year, worked together to develop a joined up approach to the issue of public realm maintenance. As a result of this Joint Procurement Partnership four distinct contract areas had been created based on geography, rather than land ownership. The areas were Castlefields, Murdishaw, Palacefields and Windmill Hill.

            It was proposed that a single contractor would have responsibilities for all aspects of landscape maintenance and cleansing in a specific area in a similar way to how the Council had modelled its Streetscene operations. This approach had been supported by the Neighbourhood Boards.

            It was reported that the RSL Joint Procurement Partnership had engaged with consultants to design contracts that offered more than just a basic maintenance service. Successful contractors would be expected to meet a high standard of environmental good practice, would have to facilitate the training and employment of local people through partnerships with the intermediate labour market and through the delivery of apprenticeships would have to demonstrate that they could form effective partnerships with other organisations. The RSL Joint Procurement Partnership had also made it clear that no single contractor would be allowed to hold more than two contracts at any one time. The total value of the contracts was approximately £670,000.

            The Board was also advised that the Landscape Services Division had previously secured a two-year SLA contract with Halton Housing Trust to deliver landscape maintenance. In September 2007 HHT notified the Council that they would be extending the contract until October 2008 after which they would be seeking to join the Joint Procurement Partnership with the other RSLs. The present HHT contract currently employed 8 full time and 6 seasonal staff. If the Council decided not to bid for the recently advised RSL contracts or if it failed to secure at least one of the advertised contracts it was likely that it would not be invited to tender for the HHT contract in October 2008. This would put the current staff that delivered the present contract at risk as there would be no other work for them and no funding for their retention. The staff would have rights under TUPE legislation.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Strategic Director, Environment, in consultation with the relevant portfolio, be given delegated authority to complete and prepare bids for the four separate contracts proposed; and

(2)       the Strategic Director, Environment, in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder, be given delegated authority to bid for any further contracts that were advertised by the RSL Joint Procurement Partnership.