Agenda item

(Safer, Greener & Transport Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-005-2016/17).

(1)        That the following parameters for the procurement of the off street parking operations for the Council’s car parks be agreed:

            (a)        the adoption of a Restricted tendering procedure;

            (b)        the Tender Evaluation to be based on a price versus quality ratio of 60/40;

            (c)        tenders to be invited for enforcement in car parks, cash collection and front line      machine maintenance; and

            (d)        The length of contract to be 5 years with a further possible extension of 2 years; 

(2)        That the request by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority to manage one of its car parks in Waltham Abbey, subject to a further report setting out the costs and the legal management agreement, be agreed in principle; and

(3)        That the project timeline be noted.

The Portfolio Holder for Safer, Greener & Transport presented a report on the procurement strategy for the tendering of the off street parking operations for the Council’s car parks.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the Council had agreed to extract itself from the Off Street part of the Agreement with the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP). This required the provision of an alternative service delivery arrangement in place by 1 April 2017. The procurement strategy would encompass the tendering procedure, the tender evaluation methodology, the length of the proposed contract, and the elements of the off street parking operation that tenders would be invited for. The procurement process would commence with the issue of Pre-Qualification Questionnaires later this month, which would enable the appointment of a suitable provider to ensure the service provision from 1 April 2017.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted the request by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority for the Council to manage their car park at Abbey Gardens in Waltham Abbey. This car park was situated next to an existing Council owned car park and the Council had similar arrangements with Sainsbury’s Supermarkets in Loughton and Ongar. Therefore, it was felt that this could be agreed in principle, subject to a further report detailing the estimated costs and legal agreement. The Cabinet was advised of some revised wording for recommendation 1(c).

The Cabinet welcomed the report, and noted that the Council had managed its car parks very efficiently before the North Essex Parking Partnership took control. The Portfolio Holder emphasised that the Council did not currently have the necessary skills to manage the car parks in-house, but this was the contingency position if no suitable tenders were received. The use of the car park at Epping Sports Centre by commuters was also highlighted, but the Leader of Council reminded the Cabinet that the Council had a contractor running the Sports Centres and the possible implementation of a charging regime for the car park at Epping Sports Centre should be considered separately.

Decision:

(1)        That the following parameters for the procurement of the off street parking operations for the Council’s car parks be agreed:

            (a)        the adoption of a Restricted tendering procedure;

            (b)        the Tender Evaluation to be based on a price versus quality ratio of 60/40;

            (c)        tenders to be invited for enforcement in car parks, cash collection and front line      machine maintenance; and

            (d)        The length of contract to be 5 years with a further possible extension of 2 years; 

(2)        That the request by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority to manage one of its car parks at Abbey Gardens in Waltham Abbey, subject to a further report setting out the costs and the legal management agreement, be agreed in principle; and

(3)        That the project timeline be noted.

Reasons for Decision:

To enable commencement of the procurement for the next off street parking enforcement, cash collection and front line maintenance contract(s).

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

It was possible to use the Open tendering procedure instead of the Restricted tendering procedure, have a different evaluation criteria and a different contract length. However, these were the recommended options following consideration by the Portfolio Holder Advisory Group.