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Agenda Item No 14

The Vale of Glamorgan Council

 

Cabinet Meeting: 21st May 2018

 

Report of the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services and Transport

 

Highway Maintenance Contracts 2018 / 2019

Purpose of the Report

  1. To agree the award of a number of highway maintenance contracts and to seek the appropriate delegations to determine and progress the new contracts for this service.

Recommendations

  1. That delegated authority is granted to the Director of Environment and Housing Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services and Transport and the Head of Finance, to accept the most economically advantageous tender for the Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing, Carriageway Surface Dressing and Highways Weed Control contracts 2018/19, on a one year plus one year plus one year basis (3 years in total).
  2. That delegated authority is granted to the Head of Legal Service to draft and execute the said contracts.

Reasons for the Recommendations

  1. To agree a new contracts for Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing, Carriageway Surface Dressing and Highways Weed Control in the most timely manner and ensure compliance with the Council's Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
  2. To ensure that the necessary legal documentation is in place for the contract.

Background

  1. The Council's Neighbourhood Services team use various contractors to undertake work on their behalf. The contracts for Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing, Carriageway Surface Dressing and Highways Weed Control need to be renewed for the financial year 2015 / 2016 to ensure the public highway can be adequately maintained.
  2. The Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing and Carriageway Surface Dressing contracts comprise essential works to implementing the Council's Highway Resurfacing 3 Year Plan 2016 to 2019 which is currently being reassessed and will be presented to Cabinet for approval in the near future.
  3. The overall capital budget available in 2018/19 for priority highway improvement works identified through the Council's Highway Resurfacing 3 Year Plan is £2,436,000. This includes £1,136,000 Welsh Government highway refurbishment funding provided as a one off contribution this financial year with the remainder allocated from internal capital funding.

Relevant Issues and Options

  1. The existing Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing, Carriageway Surface Dressing and Highways Weed Control contracts 2015/16 have successfully run for the last 3 years and based on the terms for the contract with extensions agreed in 2016/17 and 2017/18 in accordance with contract terms. The contracts terminated on 31st March 2017.
  2. Tenderers for each of the contracts to be tendered will be selected from 'Construction-Line' and contacted to confirm that they wished to tender for the new contracts in 2018/19. The tenders will be posted via the Sell2Wales website set up by the Welsh Government to assist public sector buyers to advertise and manage procurement exercises. The website is fully auditable.
  3. Submitted tenders will be evaluated on the basis of a quality/price model with a 30/70 split respectively as identified within each tender package. The most economically advantageously tender received for the Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing, Carriageway Surface Dressing and Highways Weed Control determined via the evaluation process will be awarded the contract for 2018/19.
  4. The total cost of works procured in the first year of each contract is estimated to be £500k for Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing; £300k for Carriageway Surface Dressing; and £70k for Highways Weed Control based on works carried out in previous years and the overall capital budget available in 2018/19.
  5. Tenders for these new contract will be let on the same basis as previous contract, that, is for one year with extensions of one year plus one year (3 year maximum).  This ensures that the service can be re-tendered promptly if there are changes in the market, repair technology or other factors that could reduce costs or improve service quality.
  6. Delegated authority is requested for the acceptance of tenders for the new contracts and for the execution of the said contracts to save time in implementing the new contract arrangements and ensure the necessary highway works can be progressed in a timely manner to achieve appropriate budget spend.

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

  1. The annual cost of works associated with the Carriageway Microasphalt Resurfacing is £500k; Carriageway Surface Dressing is £300k; and Highways Weed Control is £70k. Any work authorised under the new contracts will be contained within existing revenue and capital budgets.
  2. The award of works under these contracts will be financed from the Council's 2018/ 19 Capital Budgets through Neighbourhood Services and Transport's Highway Improvements and Resurfacing, together with Capital funding received from Welsh Government for Highway Refurbishment.

Sustainability and Climate Change Implications

  1. Highway improvement/ maintenance schemes improve the condition and safety of the of the Council's local road network which in turn can increase the economic viability of the Vale of Glamorgan as a location.

Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)

  1. The Council has a statutory duty to maintain the Highway pursuant to Section 41 of the Highways Act (1980).

Crime and Disorder Implications

  1. There are no Crime and Disorder Implications.

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language issues)

  1. There are no Equal Opportunities Implications.

Corporate/Service Objectives

  1. Environment - Outcome:  Current and future generations of Vale residents and visitors enjoy the built and natural environment of the Vale of Glamorgan and actively protect and maintain them.

Policy Framework and Budget

  1. This is a matter for Executive decision.

Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)

  1. There is no consultation proposed as this is a Vale wide matter.

Relevant Scrutiny Committee

  1. Environment and Regeneration.

Background Papers

None.

Contact Officer

Mike Clogg - Operational Manager Engineering

Officers Consulted

Operational Manager - Legal

Visible Services and Building - Accountant

Responsible Officer:

Miles Punter - Director of Environment and Housing Services