Issue - meetings

To consider and endorse, or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to award and issue the Paper and Card Processing Contract with a delegation for Officers to offer extensions of up to two years if this is in Kent County Council’s commercial interest.

David Beaver (Head of Waste Management and Business Services) was in attendance for this item. 

(1)   Mr Balfour (Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste) introduced the report which asked the Cabinet Committee to consider and endorse or make recommendations to award and issue the Paper and Card processing contract with a delegation for officers to offer extensions of up to two years if this was in Kent County Council’s commercial interest.

(2)  Mr Beaver said that the current contract for the Disposal of Paper and Card ended at the end of October 2017. The current value of the contract was £980,000 with a proposal for the new contract to be for an initial 1 year fixed period, with 2 single year extensions beyond that initial 1 year period. KCC was seeking a fixed price for the first year and beyond this the price would fluctuate and be linked to independently through the Lets Recycle Price Guide where the price would be varied equally between the successful tenderer and KCC.

(3)   In response to questions the officers provided further information.

(4)   Mr Beaver said that this particular material stream was within West Kent. East Kent and Mid-Kent were part of wider contractual agreements with other suppliers and when they came to an end in 2021 and 2023, the specification would be brought back to the Cabinet Committee.

(5)   Mr Beaver advised Members that paper and card recycling operated in two distinct markets, one was a domestic market and the other was international. The international was more rigorous around the specification of waste going over-seas and with the potential of Brexit there could be many duties to pass. KCC had considered its investment via market engagement and found that local providers were more willing to share the risk.

(6)   Mr Beaver said that transportation of waste from Ramsgate Port, was not within the contract.

(7)   Mr Balfour said that KCC always tried to contract the waste streams in the most effective and efficient way and used the market to accomplish this. If the market decided to send all waste to Ramsgate, KCC would support this, however, KCC was not prepared to add to costs by demanding that a certain route be used by a particular contractor.

(8)   Mr Wilkin said that material produced by a political party for publicity purposes was commercial waste. Mr Wilkin said that all providers taking on a contract with KCC had to sign a commitment to comply with the law in all respects.

(9)   Resolved that Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to award and issue the Paper and Card Processing Contract with a delegation to officers to offer extensions of up to two years if this was in Kent County Council’s commercial interest.