To approve a variation of the cabinet decision of 30 January 2020 (minute 122 resolution (a)) and approve the tendering and procurement of a building maintenance, small works and cleaning services contractor for a period from 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2023.  The services delivered under this contract are critical to ensuring that the council is able to maintain its buildings in a condition that is safe for community users and staff. This contract enables the council to react to these requirements in a timely and cost effective way. 

Under a cabinet decision on 30 January 2020 the building maintenance, small works and cleaning services were to be tendered for a period from 1 September 2020 to 30 June 2023. Due to the Covid emergency the tender process was suspended and a cabinet member decision was taken to grant an extension of the existing contract of one year to enable time for the contract to be re-tendered.

The current provider, Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP), declared in August 2020 that they would only be willing to provide the service up to 31 March 2021.

The relatively short term of this contract will provide a timeline for the completion of a strategic review of property services and subsequent implementation of change subject to approval.

The council has a duty of care to ensure the safety of the users of over 100 of the council’s operational buildings such as libraries, offices, children’s centres and schools both visiting public and our staff; this contract enables the council to comply with these duties.

That:

a)    The cabinet member approves the variation of the cabinet decision of 30 January 2020 (minute 122 resolution (a)) in respect of the procurement of a property maintenance and cleaning service contract to a two year and three month period from 1 April 2021 – 30 June 2023 with provision for a one year extension; and

b)    the cabinet member approve the tendering and procurement of a building maintenance, small works and cleaning services contractor for a period from 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2023 and delegates all operational decisions and activity to the director of economy and place.

1.            To take the service in-house; this option is not recommended as the council have outsourced this service and do not have the capacity to take the service in house given the short timescale.

2.            An alternative option would be to separate the already approved service model into different sections e.g. maintenance, and cleaning. However this would require additional internal resource to manage multiple contracts and ultimately not achieve the economies of having a single contracted provider. It would also require the drafting of new contracts and ultimately it would not be possible to meet the required deadline.

3.            To not undertake the procurement exercise in a timely manner will render the council at risk of having no service provision for the building maintenance and cleaning services from 1 April 2021.  This would render the estate unfit for use and non-compliant.

4.            To procure a longer term contract; this option is not recommended as a strategic review of property services will be undertaken prior to 2023; this review will include recommendations which encompass the future delivery of maintenance and cleaning services, to ensure the council procure the most efficient and effective service going forward which accords with the new property service model.

5.            To transfer the services into the public realm contract; this option is not recommended as the council are seeking to undertake a fundamental service review and may therefore need to extract the service from the public realm contract at a future date, to procure the service going forward and this would create unnecessary cost and work.