Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The report summarised proposals for the re-location of the materials stores service from Mill Road Depot in preparation for plans to vacate and dispose of the site by 2017.

 

Decision of the Leader

 

     i.        Approved the proposal to invite competitive tenders (market testing) for the possible future provision of a stores service by external providers.

    ii.        Authorised the Director of Customer and Community Services to agree, following consultation with the Executive Councillor, the Director of Business Transformation, Chair, Spokes of the Committee, to new arrangements for a relocated Stores Service based upon the outcome of a full cost / quality comparison between a retained in-house service and the results of formal market testing.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

 

The Committee received a report from the Head of Estates and Facilities.

 

Mr Kevin Roberts addressed the Committee and made the following points on behalf of GMB:

i.             A full value for money report should be undertaken but the timescales did not permit this.

ii.            The consideration of the new location should be done as part of the accommodation strategy.

iii.           Members of the GMB were concerned at the language used within the Committee report as it seemed to promote and look to outsourcing rather than looking at in-house options.

iv.          The number of changes to managers in the service had, allowed the service to become old fashioned. 

v.           Wanted to make sure that there was a level playing field for GMB members. 

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

 

The outsourcing of this service was not a foregone conclusion, the City Council was looking for the best deal financially.  The advantage of outsourcing a service was that other people took the risks whereas the advantage of retaining a service in house was the knowledge of staff.  

 

In response to Members’ questions the Leader said the following:

     i.        If there were new ways of working internally this would be a comparator for an external provider.

    ii.        The building maintenance department utilised the largest area of Mill Road Depot.

   iii.        Whichever choice was made, the City Council was committed to the Building Maintenance Team.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Leader approved the recommendation.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Leader (and any Dispensations Granted):

 

Not applicable.