This report seeks to update on the procurement of the new waste collection service. This follows the adoption of the council’s new Waste Management Strategy in July 2021 and the subsequent Cabinet decision to adopt a new waste collection model in November 2021.

That:

a)      Cabinet approves the delivery of the Waste Management Strategy objectives and environmental improvements, by continuing the procurement process for the provision of a waste collection service under the existing collection model, within the proposed 2024/25 annual revenue budget, for an initial term of 8 years, including options to extend by up to a further 12 years (following budget approval);

b)      Cabinet approves a phased implementation of the new collection model and that the procurement process should include a mechanism within the contract to enable the services to transition to:

i.             a three weekly, twin stream recycling service,

ii.            introduce a weekly food waste collection service and:

iii.      introduce a non-mandatory, seasonable, two weekly, chargeable garden waste service;

c)      Cabinet confirms that the remaining aspects of the future collection service, as set out in b), are introduced at the appropriate time, subject to funding, legal responsibilities and approved business case(s);

d)      Approval to spend up to £12.29m to purchase the new waste collection fleet, in consultation with the Director of Resources and Assurance;

e)      Delegate all operational decisions in order to implement the above recommendations to the Corporate Director for Economy and Environment, in consultation with the Director of Resources and Assurance;

f)       Delegates, to the Corporate Director for Economy and Environment, in consultation with the Director of Resources and Assurance the authority to negotiate and enter into a deed of variation to the Waste Disposal contract to accommodate the above recommendations as required; and

g)      The decision to award the contract to the successful bidder will be subject to a final decision of Cabinet.

1.           Do nothing - This is not an option as the current waste collection contract is due to expire on 31 August 2024 and waste collection and disposal services are statutory services that the council has to provide.

2.           Award a new waste collection contract as previously planned. This is not an option due to unprecedented cost escalations and the delayed new burdens contributions from central government that were expected.

3.           Terminating the current procurement process and seeking a further long-term extension to the current collection arrangements. This is contrary to the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and the Council’s contract procedure rules.

4.           Terminating the procurement process and bringing the waste collection service in house; this option has been rejected based on specialist external technical consultancy advice.