14/4/2021
Published Barrhead News On Line -
News
12 hrs ago
East Renfrewshire Council to bring maintenance team in house
By Drew Sandelands Local Democracy Reporter
A HIT squad for property maintenance in East Renfrewshire could be brought in-house as a third-party contract ends.
The move has been proposed to save money and guarantee that the service, which deals with issues such as fly-tipping and close cleaning, continues.
Cabinet members will be asked to approve the plan when they meet tomorrow.
The Vocational Education Resource Group (VERG), a training and employability service provider, currently has the contract.
It was extended in January after a council oversight meant the previous contract expired before retendering could take place.
A council report states: “It is felt that bringing the service in-house represents best value in the circumstances.
“This avoids the uncertainty over future service provision and the potential additional cost of going to the market.
“It also ensures the continued delivery of added social value in relation to employment and the local economy.”
Three options have been considered by the council: stopping the service, retendering the contract or bringing the team in-house.
The report to the cabinet states the service is “highly valued” and has positively addressed “small scale issues across local housing.”
“It has dealt effectively with problems such as fly-tipping or litter picks, close cleaning, grass cutting and environmental improvements in council areas, regardless of housing tenure,” it adds.
“Terminating the service would be unpopular with customers and viewed as a backwards step by the council in achieving its strategic objectives.”
However, a previous tender process only received one bid and the “scope of the service has not to any extent changed in the interim.”
There is a “strong possibility” that, despite time and money being invested, the process “would not attract any bids at all,” the report states.
It adds that contract prices are likely to rise due to the cost of transferring staff from the current provider.
There is also a concern that “the appointment of any new third-party supplier would not bring the same key social, economic and employability benefits.”
The team has built up “considerable knowledge” of council services, established a good relationship with residents and dealt with problems such as fly-tipping and litter, the council reports.
It has also provided “invaluable support during the pandemic, delivering food parcels and providing cleaning services.”
Councillors are also being asked to agree that the contract can be extended for a few more months until the transfer can go ahead.
It will cost £24,000 per month to continue the contract until the transfer is completed.