Agenda item

To consider and endorse, or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to:

a)    award a short-term variation of the contract for the operation and management of three Household Waste Recycling Centres at Tovil, Maidstone & Swanley, to Commercial Services Group (CSG) from June 2019 until November 2020; and

b)    note that Officers will prepare a common commissioning plan for the whole County. The detail of the various options within this commissioning plan, will be discussed at a future meeting of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee.

Simon Jones (Director of Highways, Transportation and Waste) was in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Jones introduced the report that sought approval from the Committee to implement a short-term variation for the operation and management of three Household Waste Recycling Centres to a Commercial Services Group as the incumbent supplier would cease to manage the three sites as of June 2019. The report set out how Kent County Council planned to continue the supply of its services and how it intended to align the operation and management of Household Waste Recycling Centres to the long-term commissioning strategy for all its waste services in future years.

2.    Officers responded to Members comments and questions as follows:

(a)  Mr Jones said that the co-terminus end dates of the contracts was intentional as this would help the directorate to align the commissioning period and as a result help Kent County Council secure substantial commissioning in the future, consolidate its procurement activity and review an ever-evolving market to ensure it entered into contracts with the right suppliers.

(b)  In response to queries as to whether the contract would be awarded to a single supplier or to the Lot numbers, Mr Jones said that he was unable to provide a definitive answer, however assured Members that a procurement exercise would be undertaken to ensure that the contracted supplier offered the best value for money at that point in time.

(c)  With regard to economies of scale, Mr Jones said that there were obvious economies such as staff coverage to ensure operational certainty over the various site locations, it presented potential opportunities for improved back-office functions and it also offered certainty in the haulage cost if there was one single source. There was also the opportunity to avoid duplication of costs that could arise when there were multiple suppliers. Mr Jones assured the Committee that in terms of economy, the proposed decision to have the same termination date for all Lots would invite potential discussions around the development of a common commissioning plan for the whole county and attract a variety of potential suppliers. It would also offer consistency in terms of Key Performance Indicators and provide Kent County Council with the opportunity to obtain a consistent approach with the districts and improve working relationships.

(d)  Mrs Cooper (Corporate Director for Growth, Environment and Transport) informed Members that a full commissioning strategy for all Lots would be proposed for the consideration of the Committee in the autumn of 2019.

(e)  Mr Jones confirmed that Pepper Hill was subject to a separate long-term contract, however, work would be done in the future to review how the Pepper Hill site would form part of the commissioning strategy.

3.    RESOLVED that the proposed decision (19/00039) to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste to:

a)    award a short-term variation of the contract for the operation and management of three Household Waste Recycling Centres at Tovil, Maidstone & Swanley, to Commercial Services Group (CSG)from June 2019 until November 2020; and

b)    note that Officers will prepare a common commissioning plan for the whole County. The detail of the various options within this commissioning plan, will be discussed at a future meeting of the Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee,

be endorsed.