Agenda item

1.    That the proposal to bring the repair and maintenance of vehicles and equipment used by Clean Safe and Green and Cemeteries back in house be approved.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND;

2.    That Cabinet recommend Council approve the additional capital funds required of £60k as outlined in the report to Cabinet in paragraph 3.

1)    That the proposal to bring the repair and maintenance of vehicles and equipment used by Clean Safe and Green and Cemeteries back in house be approved.

2)    That Cabinet recommend Council approve the additional capital funds required of £60k as outlined in the report to Cabinet in paragraph 3.4

Corporate objectives

Maintain a clean and safe environment.

Monitoring Officer: 

The proposal should add to service resilience and produce a financial saving for the council as highlighted in the report.

The service will need to ensure that all health and safety audits and checks are complete prior to the handover back to Dacorum.

S.151 Officer

The revenue implications of bringing the vehicle repairs service in house would reduce the services, existing financial pressure by £27k p.a., with a part year effect in 2019/20.

The capital project would be an addition to the overall capital programme of £60k and would be funded through capital receipts received in 2019/20.

Advice

Councillor Anderson advised that since the appointment of Simon Smith as Transport Manager, the Council has been making a range of improvements, including initiatives such as fleet standardisation and acquiring new refuse freighters. 

Councillor Anderson added that this report outlines the latest initiative which is to bring back in-house the maintenance of CSG and Cemeteries equipment. Which has been done previously under contract by Luton Borough Council since 2012, but the service is now in a position to do this work at Cupid Green Depot. 

Councillor Anderson stated that the service will require three new posts and some Capital investment, this will release a Revenue saving of at least £27,000 per year.  Officers will arrange the necessary Capital works if approved and the recruitment with a view to the maintenance starting in January 2020.

Councillor Anderson added that in addition to the financial saving, the benefit of doing this is also environmental and by doing things in house, we can do things locally without having to send vehicles some distance to be dealt with, so we are achieving an environmental benefit as well as the financial one.

Councillor Elliot enquired if there was already a Fleet Inventory Controller post.  D Austin replied that we don’t have one at the moment and added that given that lots of the equipment is small like strimmers and blowers, there’s lots of parts and equipment, so we are looking to have impressed stock room with better stock control and the ability to take things off the shelf.  D Austin confirmed that it was more efficient and being realistic we need the role to make sure we have those controls. They will also look after things like the COSH chemicals, risk assessments and other things in terms of the supply of those materials.

Councillor Sutton felt this was an excellent report and asked when we move forward with this will there be opportunities to take on work for other authorities.  D Austin replied that this is the next phase and vision, then Simon Smith has got some ideas about some of the Capital investment being duplicated for MOT testing, other income sources, maybe looking at some of our partners and the Fire Service.  D Austin confirmed this is the next stage and then there will be another piece of work looking at the ability to bring in additional income for the service.

Councillor Tindall suggested that when in operation and there is the opportunity, that Adult Care Services at County are contacted as they have a large fleet of vehicles to collect and take people to day centres, it might be possible to see whether they are interested.

Councillor Griffiths asked if it would be more beneficial and financially viable to go into partnership with a supplier of these parts so that we didn’t have to hold the stock and you have an arrangement where they bulk buy so you got a better discount.  D Austin said it did make sense and part of the work that Simon has done on standardisation means that we have impressed stock so although we have the stock on site, we only pay if we use it.  So it’s quite an efficient mode of operation.

Cabinet agreed the recommendations in the report.

1.    epair and maintenance of vehicles and equipment used by Clean Safe and Green and Cemeteries back in house be approved.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND;

2.    That Cabinet recommend Council approve the additional capital funds required of £60k as outlined in the report to Cabinet in paragraph 3.