Decision details

The request is to award under Contract Standing Order (CSO) 8.02 to deliver six Christmas trees in partnership with the relevant Traders’ Associations across November and December 2021 using Welcome Back Fund grant.

The trees will be delivered in the following town centres:

• x1 20 ft Nordman Fir tree, complete with stand covered in up to 2,300 multicoloured lights, and large star for Tottenham Green
• x5 18ft Nordman Fir trees, complete with stand covered in up to 2,100 multicoloured lights, and large star, for Bruce Grove, Myddleton Road, Hornsey High Street, Turnpike Lane, Green Lanes.

Total Project Cost = £9,995

As the funding is being provided by the Welcome Back Fund grant, ERDF procurement rules were followed – an RFQ process obtaining three quotes and a winner was selected on a 50% quality and 50% cost basis following an RFQ process.

The winner was The Christmas Decorators with an overall score of 89.98%.

Applicant A scored 80.00% and B scored 71.98%.

There is a high demand from traders and members for an on-street festive event in various town centres across the borough, and for Traders’ Associations to be supported.

These events – of which the trees will play a critical role and be the focal point for a variety of light switch-on events - will serve this need and attract footfall back to the high street post-pandemic, in support of local traders who recently suffered. This is a key element that has been agreed with the supplier so that the town centre will have the greatest positive impact with its target audience. This initiative would also form part of the Council’s High Street Recovery Action Plan to support the growth of town centres.

The Christmas Decorators Ltd have a proven track record of delivering Christmas trees, including adhering to Health and Safety and COVID-safe practices.

1) Do Nothing – not having a tree as part of winter celebrations would not help attract people back to the town centre environment following recent challenging trading conditions, or support the areas to ‘bounce back’, encourage residents back to the high street at the most important trading time of the year, nor underpin the Council’s Live.Shop.Local campaign.

2) Allow each Traders’ Association to appoint their own tree supplier – this is what has been happening in recent years, and it became evident that some TAs were securing more commercially appealing deals than others, leaving some who were not confident of the process at a disadvantage. The council has been able to utilise its bulk buying power in order to benefit all town centres within the borough and establish a level playing field for all using the Welcome Back Fund.