Decisions

The Council have been utilising an Electoral Registration and Elections Management System since 2009 which enables the Council to co-ordinate and conduct elections and referenda on behalf of the Council’s Returning Officer.
This system has been provided by the same service provider since 2009 and it has been decided that the Council needed to tender this opportunity and test the market to ensure the Council had the best solution for our needs whilst also seeking to achieve best value for money.
The Council used the open procedure route and advertised the requirement on both Supply Hertfordshire and Contracts Finder.
The Council evaluated the tender returns on both price and qualitative criteria with Price being 30% and Quality 70%.
The Council received 3 bids (2 from the same Provider) with Xpress Software Solutions Ltd showing their solution offered the best value money against the evaluation criteria.

To award a 5-year contract to Xpress Software Solutions Ltd for the supply and maintenance of an Elections Management System.

The attached report is the Officer Decision sheet for the disposal of 2 East Flint on the open Market. This is in accordance with the HRA disposals policy.

Sell on the open market

In September 2014, Cabinet approved the disposal of selected DBC owned garage sites with a view to increasing the supply of housing across the Borough, minimising the future maintenance liability and driving more efficient use of its stock. The garage sites above were subject to a sales process with the purchaser Watford Community Housing Trust supported by an external valuation undertaken by Brasier Freeth.

To dispose of the garage sites for redevelopment in the sum of £3.06m to Watford Community Housing Trust. The disposal of garages was agreed by Cabinet in September 2014. The marketing of the sites has been undertaken following an Open Market Valuation of the sites by external experts Brasier Freeth. The sale has the condition that the sites will be redeveloped within 24 months for residential purposes.

In 2013 the Council were part of a reverse auction for the supply of mobile voice and data services. Everything Everywhere Limited (EE) were successful in winning the contract which offered a considerable saving against what the Council were paying at the time with the then incumbent supplier.
The Council have now engaged with EE looking at the possibility of awarding a new contract under the Government’s Crown Commercial Services Framework Agreement for Network Services. This will be a direct award using the following justification:
-The tariff costs are lower and more flexible than we receive with the current contract.
-The tariff costs are lower or comparable with the other providers on the Framework Agreement.
-The internal costs and risks of moving providers are higher than any potential savings we could achieve on the open market.
-The cost to move providers would require new devices across the fleet especially when considering the current devices will be locked down to the EE Network.
-Using the framework is a compliance route in terms of complying with the Council’s Commissioning and Procurement Standing Orders and the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

To award a 3 year contract to Everything Everywhere Ltd for Mobile voice and/or data services

To agree the disposal of this property on the open market as per the Housing Disposals Policy

Sell on the open market as the works required to relet the property and the age of the property make it viable to sell on the open market

To enable the better use of Council assets in conformity with the decision of Cabinet as at September 2014.

To sell the garages nos 60 to 85 Spring Lane following a marketing campaign by Lambert Smith Hampton.

The area is a parcel of land located between 65 and 65a Seaton Road, Hemel Hempstead. The sale of the land will remove the maintenance liability from the Council and return a capital receipt.

Sale of 80m2 of land adjacent to 65a Seaton Road, Hemel Hempstead for the sum of £12,000 plus the Council’s legal and surveyors fees.

This area is a parcel of land located at the side of 26 Hollybush Lane which has no benefit to the surrounding area. The sale of the land will remove the maintenance liability from the Council. It was agreed by several departments of the Council to sell the land.

Sale of the freehold land adjacent to 26 Hollybush Lane, Hemel Hempstead for the total sum of £12,040 plus the Council’s legal fees and surveyor’s fees.

At its meeting of 21 October 2014 Cabinet approved a multi point strategy and action plan for ensuring the vitality and attractiveness of Hemel Hempstead Town Centre. A BID works through businesses present within the agreed BID area being balloted as to whether a BID should be created. The result was 84% of businesses in Hemel Hempstead voted in favour by number, with 86% in favour by rateable value representing an overall turnout of 37%.

To approve and sign the operating agreement with the Hemel Hempstead Business Improvement District Ltd. (BID) following the successful ballot to allow the payment of the additional Business Rates Levy to be paid to the BID in accordance with regulations.