Issue - meetings

(Report of the Director of Environmental Services – Agenda Item 7):

Details of the tenders received which were set out in Appendices A and B to the interleaved report were the subject of a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as they contained exempt information relating to terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods and services.

We noted that the price of the tender recommended for acceptance was more than £50,000 greater than the project budget and that there was no indication of the source of additional funding or comments from the Director of Finance. Arising from our consideration of paragraph 13.4 of the report we also noted that the pre-tender estimate for the works had been significantly lower than the tender submissions received from contractors and we asked that the Head of Procurement seek clarification of this point from the cost consultants.

In response to a question about rules governing the use of sub-contractors for schemes of this nature, we were informed that a paper had been produced for consideration initially by the Chief Executive’s Management Board (CEMB) which recommended a number of improvements to sub-contracting arrangements. Following consideration by the CEMB a report would be brought forward to the Executive and in the meantime a note of clarification be circulated to Members of our Committee.

RESOLVED:

That consideration of the report be adjourned until after the special meeting of the Committee on 2 February to enable clarification of the financial implications of the proposals to be provided.