Agenda item

To consider the extension of a contract to deliver Parking Enforcement Services. 

Agreed:-

(1)     That the Director of Borough Economy be authorised to extend the contract to APCOA for a period until 30 June 2023 at a value of £994,510 to deliver Parking Enforcement Services representing an increase of £34,561 (3.6%) on the value for 2021/22 of £959,949.

(2)     That the Director of Borough Economy be authorised to extend the contract to APCOA for a period from 1 July 2023 until 29th February 2024 at a value of £704,613 to deliver Parking Enforcement Services, equivalent to an increase of £6.3% on the value for the equivalent period in 2022/23.

(3)     That the Director of Borough Economy, in consultation with the Director of Finance, be authorised to extend, in the event of process delays, the contract to APCOA for a period from 1st March 2024 until 30th June 2024 at a value of £349,644 to deliver Parking Enforcement Services.

(4)     That approval be given to the procurement of a new four-year parking enforcement contract with provision for two, one-year extensions to include transferring the following staff from APCOA to the Council for the future in-house delivery of these services, at an annual value of approximately £200,000 and would reduce the scope of the new contract accordingly.

Service                                          Staff Transfer Numbers

First Line Notice Processing Officers               2

Notice Processing Supervisor                          1

Bus Lane Enforcement officer (3 days per wk) 1

TRO Officer, Surveyor                                     1

Representation and Appeals Officer                1

Operations Supervisor                                     1

(5)     That any necessary exemptions be made under the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules, the exception that we will use is a VEAT Notice to mitigate any risk to enable the course of action referred to in (1), (2) and (3) above to proceed.

(6)     That any necessary exemptions be made to Council Policy or approved processes to enable the course of action referred to in (4)

(7)     That the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to take any necessary actions to bring the proposals referred to in (1) – (6) into effect.

Approval was sought to authorise the Director of Borough Economy to extend the contract to APCOA for a period until 30 June 2023 at a value of £994,510 to deliver Parking Enforcement Services representing an increase of £34,561 (3.6%) on the value for 2021/22 of £959,949.

Reasons for recommendations

Efforts to properly procure a new parking enforcement contract, with available internal resources and external commissions, over the last year had been unsuccessful. The scope of the contract requirements had changed and were dependent on the balance between in-house and contract provision, the best practice use of new technology, the adoption of new enforcement powers, confirmation of the approval of revised parking charges and the post pandemic stabilisation of parking demand. These factors were unforeseen at the outset.

The recommendations set out the approvals necessary to provide sufficient time to commission external subject matter expertise and capacity to develop the options and carry out potential procurement activity if required.

Alternative options considered

No suitable frameworks had been available and there had not been a positive response to the ITT for Consultancy Services that were sent out December 2021 to January 2022.

Resolved:-

(1)          that the Director of Borough Economy be authorised to extend the contract to APCOA for a period until 30 June 2023 at a value of £994,510 to deliver Parking Enforcement Services representing an increase of £34,561 (3.6%) on the value for 2021/22 of £959,949;

(2)          that the Director of Borough Economy be authorised to extend the contract to APCOA for a period from 1 July 2023 until 29th February 2024 at a value of £704,613 to deliver Parking Enforcement Services, equivalent to an increase of £6.3% on the value for the equivalent period in 2022/23;

(3)          that the Director of Borough Economy, in consultation with the Director of Finance, be authorised to extend, in the event of process delays, the contract to APCOA for a period from 1st March 2024 until 30th June 2024 at a value of £349,644 to deliver Parking Enforcement Services;

(4)          that approval be given to the procurement of a new four-year parking enforcement contract with provision for two, one-year extensions to include transferring the following staff from APCOA to the Council for the future in-house delivery of these services, at an annual value of approximately £200,000 and would reduce the scope of the new contract accordingly;

(5)          that any necessary exemptions be made under the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules, the exception that we will use is a VEAT Notice to mitigate any risk to enable the course of action referred to in Resolutions (1), (2) and (3) above to proceed;

(6)          that any necessary exemptions be made to Council Policy or approved processes to enable the course of action referred to in Resolution (4);

(7)          that the Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer be authorised to take any necessary actions to bring the proposals referred to in Resolutions (1) – (6) into effect.