Issue - meetings

Environmental Services and Sustainability Portfolio

To consider report HPS/21 of the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services.

The Leader of the Council presented report HPS/21 of the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Serviceswhich set out that the Council was currently undertaking a joint procurement initiative with Horsham District Council and Mid-Sussex District Council using the LASER (Local Authority Energy Buying Group) Framework contract arrangements for Water and Sewerage Services to the Council’s operational sites. However due to the joint procurement and the need to coordinate the timescales, the report sought approval for the decision of award of the Water Services Contract to be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet notes the current work taking place on the Water Services Contract and delegate the decision to award the contract for the provision of the Water Services Contract to the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability, following the evaluation of the tender process.

Reasons for the Recommendations

In line with the Constitution, Cabinet would normally approve the award of any contract with a total value over £500,000. Due to tight implementation timescales and the requirement to obtain Cabinet approval from each of the authorities participating in the tender process, the report recommends that the best approach in order to meet the contract start date is to seek approval to delegate the contract award decision. It is therefore recommended that the Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Sustainability makes the award of the contract.

The LASER Framework has been able to deliver savings at up to 3.5% below previous contract prices and achieve an average saving of 2%. Based on current expenditure this would equate to a total saving in water costs over the proposed

4 year contract period of between £21,280 (3.5%) and £12,160 (2%) based on current consumption levels.

In addition, the move to a single supplier will streamline payment and monitoring arrangements and has the potential to achieve additional savings in reduced administration costs and other water efficiency measures.