Decision of: Cllr Reid  (Executive Councillor for Climate Change and Growth)

Reference: 10/Env/special urgency 1

Date of decision:  19 March 2010                Recorded on: 19 March 2010

Decision Type:  Key

Matter for Decision: To agree the Council’s Tree Maintenance Framework for 2010-2014.

Why the decision had to be made (and any alternative options):

The Council’s tree maintenance works (on Parks, Housing, Property, and Car Parks land, and on highway land for the County Council) cut across the portfolios of several Executive Councillors. The initiation, by the tree team, of the contract review process was approved by the Executive Councillor for Climate Change and Growth. 

Tree maintenance carried out for the Council is done by contractors appointed under a 4-yearly Framework Agreement.   The current contracts end on 31 March 2010.  Tenders for the new 4-year contract have been sought through an exhaustive two stage procurement process under EU rules. 8 contractors reached the final stage. This included detailed consideration, on the basis of practical assessments, of value for money, quality of works, and health and safety.

The complexity of the process and long-term staff illness have prevented completion of the contract review in time for consideration by the Environment Scrutiny Committee on 16 March. An urgent decision is needed to enable new contracts to be in place for 1 April. 

The Council is seeking to appoint 2 contractors to provide an emergency “out of hours” service. 2 contractors, both meeting the requirements, have reached the final stage.

The Council sought approximately 6 contractors to provide the other services (emergencies in normal working hours, and high, medium and low priority works). 7 contractors have been  assessed as able to provide the services required.    

Reasons for the decision:

As described above.

Scrutiny consideration:

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee agreed that the taking of this key decision cannot be reasonably be deferred and that the Executive Councillor’s decision is in accordance with the Special Urgency procedure (para 16 – part 4B – Access to Information Procedure Rules).

Report:

There was none.

Conflicts of interest:

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.

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