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Director of Environment - Unfortunately, due to an oversight the re-tendering process was not started on time
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TOPIC: Director of Environment - Unfortunately, due to an oversight the re-tendering process was not started on time

Director of Environment - Unfortunately, due to an oversight the re-tendering process was not started on time 3 years, 2 months ago #1

  • RM64
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East Renfrewshire’s maintenance ‘hit squad’ to continue

A ‘hit squad’ tackling fly-tipping and carrying out maintenance in East Renfrewshire is set to continue its work until the end of March despite the contract expiring due to a council oversight.

By Drew Sandelands, Local Democracy Reporter

Thursday, 21st January 2021, 7:52 am

VERG, a third-party contractor, has been managing a scheme in mixed tenure properties – with council houses and private homes – for the council since December 2015.

It oversees close cleaning and painting, garden maintenance and minor repairs.

The contract for the work expired in November 2019 and re-tendering was not started on time.

The process did begin in March last year but was further delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since 2019, the contractor has been allowed to continue running on a monthly basis on the same terms as the expired deal.

Council officers says the contract has provided a “much-needed very high-quality service”.

Councillors will be asked to approve continuing the monthly payments until the end of March when they meet next week.

Continuing the contract between December 2019 and March this year will cost £375,000.

“Unfortunately, due to an oversight the re-tendering process was not started on time,” a council report states.

“When this was recognised and the re-tendering process recommenced just prior to March 2020 it was then further delayed due to staff having to deal with emerging Covid-related issues.”

The ‘Hit Squad’ has been the main element of the contract, with around 10 staff dealing with problems.

However, the contractor also manages services through other private contractors, including garden maintenance, close cleaning, fence painting and replacement and footpath improvements.

During the pandemic, the ‘Hit Squad’ has helped the council deliver food parcels for vulnerable residents, providing bank holiday cover for the environment department, sanitised handrails and door handles at Montgomery Court sheltered housing complex and removed increased fly-tipping.

“To have suspended this service due to the tendering/contract issue would have create health and safety risks for residents,” the council believes.

A re-tendering exercise for a new contract, which will begin in March this year, has started.

An online contracts register is being developed to ensure “a single source of accurate information” following the oversight.

“The system will include alert functionality for contract end dates ensuring sufficient time for officers to prepare for retendering activity,” the council report states.



You can read the director of Environment Report here -

www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/media/4525/C...m=637463010396900000


The Report will be presented to Cabinet Meeting on 28 January at 10am.

You can read more on the Cabinet Meeting on the Council website here -

www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/cabinet-280121

Re: Director of Environment - Unfortunately, due to an oversight the re-tendering process was not started on time 3 years, 2 months ago #2

  • Tom
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How can a council lose track of even more cash, but still this time it is only almost 1/2 million pounds.

No approval from the councillors.

Yet again the Director of Environment makes the decision.

I want him to stand for election next time, why we need 18 councillors I dont know, he can do it all himself.

Re: Director of Environment - Unfortunately, due to an oversight the re-tendering process was not started on time 3 years, 2 months ago #3

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23/1/2021

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East Renfrewshire: Fly-tipping ‘hit squad’ gets the green light to carry on cleaning

By Drew Sandelands Local Democracy Reporter

A ‘HIT SQUAD’ tackling fly-tipping and carrying out maintenance in East Renfrewshire is set to continue its work until the end of March, despite the contract expiring due to a council oversight.

Third-party contractor VERG has been managing a scheme in mixed tenure properties – with council houses and private homes – for East Renfrewshire Council since December 2015.

It oversees close cleaning and painting, garden maintenance and minor repairs.

The contract for the work expired in November 2019 and re-tendering was not started on time.

The process did begin in March last year but was further delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since 2019, the contractor has been allowed to continue operating on a monthly basis, on the same terms as the expired deal. Council officers say the contract has provided a “much-needed, very high-quality service.”

Elected members will be asked to approve continuing the monthly payments until the end of March when they meet next week.

Continuing the contract between December 2019 and March this year will cost £375,000.

“Unfortunately, due to an oversight, the re-tendering process was not started on time,” a council report states.

“When this was recognised and the re-tendering process recommenced just prior to March 2020, it was then further delayed due to staff having to deal with emerging Covid-related issues.”

The hit squad has been the main element of the contract, with around 10 staff dealing with problems.

However, the contractor also manages services through other private contractors, including garden maintenance, close cleaning, fence replacement and footpath improvements.

During the pandemic, the team has also helped the council deliver food parcels to vulnerable residents, provided bank holiday cover for the environment department and sanitised handrails and door handles at a sheltered housing complex.

The council report adds: “To have suspended this service due to the tendering/contract issue would have created health and safety risks for residents.”

A re-tendering exercise for a new contract, which will begin in March, has also started.

Re: Director of Environment - Unfortunately, due to an oversight the re-tendering process was not started on time 3 years, 1 month ago #4

  • RM64
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Freedom Of Information Request made on line via ERC Website

Made On Line - 08/02/2021


Sent: Monday, 8 Feb, 2021
Subject: Freedom of Information Request - 101002403989 - MIXED TENURE SCHEME Report Cabinet Committee 28 January 2021


To: East Renfrewshire Council

Freedom of Information(FOI) Request

This FOI request concerns the Report by Director of Environment - MIXED TENURE SCHEME presented to East Renfrewshire Council Cabinet Committee on 28 January 2021.

It specifically concerns the names and locations of the mixed tenure estates, The Numbers provided for each of the work/services carried out broken down into locations, locations of fly tipping hot spots, details of charges made to/payments made by Council Tenants(Council houses) and Private Tenants/Owners (private properties) for these services.

Please provide the following information -

- Details of the names and locations of mixed tenure estates


Concerning para 8 in the report -

'8. Overall in the financial year 2019/20 the substantial number of projects delivered through the hit squad and contractors amounted to around:

•2500 ad hoc requests (uplifts relating to garden and household waste and regular uplift of flytipping hotspots), (hit squad)

•3829 close cleans

•3250 garden maintenance visits (Contractor& HIT Squad)

•60 tree cuts

•100 repairs to fences

•40 path/slabbing remedial repairs

•40 close paintings'


Please provide the following information -

for the provided number of 2500 ad hoc requests

- names and location of Fly Tipping hotspots
- Number of uplifts relating to garden waste broken down by locations
- Number of uplifts relating to household waste broken down by locations

- Number of uplifts relating to regular uplift of fly tipping hotspots broken down by locations

and for the other work/services

- Provided Number of close cleans broken down by locations

- Provided Number of garden maintenance visits (Contractor& HIT Squad) broken down by locations

- Provided Number of tree cuts broken down by locations

- Provided Number of repairs to fences broken down by locations

- Provided Number of path/slabbing remedial repairs broken down by locations

- Provided Number of close paintings broken down by locations


CHARGES/PAYMENTS

- Number and charges issued for each of all of the above services

to Council Tenants(Council houses)

to Private Tenants/Owners (private properties)

- Number and payments made for each of the above services

by Council Tenants(Council houses)

by Private Tenants/Owners (private properties)


Requesting one of the above services.

How does an East Renfrewshire Council Tax Payer/Resident request one of these services as described in the report -

- garden waste uplift
- household waste uplift
- fly tipping hotspots uplift
- uplift relating to fly tipping
- close clean
- garden maintenance visit (Contractor& HIT Squad)
- tree cuts
- repairs to fences
- path/slabbing remedial repairs
- close paintings

Electronic response/copies are acceptable.
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