Agenda item

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet recommends to Council:

a)     The allocation of £7,800,000 in funding to complete this project, this figure being inclusive of all construction and relocation costs; and

b)     To appoint the contractor identified in Confidential Appendix 3 as the preferred bidder to design and build the operational services depot on land at Hardley Industrial Estate.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

As set out in the report.

KEY DECISION:

Report to Cabinet and Council.

PORTFOLIO:

Environment and Sustainability and Finance and Corporate.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:

As set out in the report.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Cllr Heron declared, for transparency, that he knew the owner of a company identified within Appendix 3 of the Cabinet report. Cllr Heron clarified that he would withdraw himself from this item and abstain from participating and voting.

DISCUSSION:

The Leader of the Council, before introducing the report, reminded members that Appendix 3 of the report contained commercially sensitive information which was exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. It was explained that if any member wished to discuss the content of Appendix 3, that the meeting would need to move into exempt-session, with the press and public excluded.

In the absence of the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, the report was introduced by the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness. The Portfolio Holder highlighted that in addition with modernising a frontline service, the new depot would provide staff with a better facility in which to work as well as improving the ability to collect a wider range of waste and recycling.

The Assistant Director of Place Operations briefly presented the report and reminded members that the existing depot at Clay Meadow in Totton was not sufficient in providing the facilities or capacities for the new modern service. The relocation would also release the current site for residential re-development.  The new site at Hardley had obtained planning consent and a full procurement process had been undertaken with a preferred bidder identified. Completion costs would total £7.8 million, and funding would come from the capital programme reserve, capital receipts reserve and revenue contributions. The key risks identified within the report were consistent with any construction projects of a similar size, including the issue of inflation. The Waste Programme Board would oversee the project and relevant updates would be provided to the Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

Cabinet Members expressed their support of the project.  Despite concerns around traffic and congestion at Hardley, members were reassured that the highways considerations had been factored into the planning application that was considered and approved in 2023 and that the operational hours would not coincide with rush hours during the day.

A question was posed by a non Cabinet member relating to Appendix 3 of the report, and by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, the meeting went into private session, as noted at minute 19 below. The question posed related to the procurement criteria and the member was directed to section 6 of the pubic report, the Procurement Process. Following this, Cabinet agreed to re-enter public session and the item was brought to a close with the Cabinet agreeing to the recommendations within the report.