Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval to award the Tree Maintenance and Inspection Programme contract to Advanced Tree Services Ltd (ATS).

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 8 votes for and 1 vote against to:

(1)       Agree to award a 3-year contract, with the option to extend for a further two periods of 3-years, to Advanced Tree Services Ltd (ATS) based on the commercially sensitive financial breakdown set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)       Authorise the Head of Place Development, in consultation with the Director of Environment, Housing and Regeneration and Chief Finance Officer, to progress and complete the legal documentation.

(3)       Agree that the Director of Environment, Housing and Regeneration in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the relevant Committee Chair is tasked with identifying the £39,500 of savings from within existing budgets required to meet the budget shortfall.

The Committee received a report seeking approval to award the Tree Maintenance and Inspection Programme contract to Advanced Tree Services Ltd (ATS).

The following matters were considered:

a)            Ash Dieback. Following a question from a Member, the Director of Environment, Housing and Regeneration informed the Committee that the proposed contract sought to re-procure the current existing provisions of the Council’s tree contract, and as such it did not include the management of Ash Dieback. Ash Dieback had been identified as a challenge for the wider Surrey area, but it’s implications for the Borough had not yet been defined in detail. Officers informed the Committee that if additional inspections or works in relation to Ash Dieback are required, these would have to be met within the contract, or further support procured.

b)            Cost of contract and funding. The Committee was informed that the cost of the contract was based on an estimated level of works, which could fluctuate up or down.

The Committee noted that the cost of the contract included an element of £39,500 attributable to growth items and service enhancements which was not included within the current budget. The Committee was informed that officers would seek to manage this cost through the contract where possible and also noted that recommendation 3 of the report requested  approval for Officers to seek savings from within existing budgets to meet the budget shortfall if necessary.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 8 votes for and 1 vote against to:

(1)       Agree to award a 3-year contract, with the option to extend for a further two periods of 3-years, to Advanced Tree Services Ltd (ATS) based on the commercially sensitive financial breakdown set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)       Authorise the Head of Place Development, in consultation with the Director of Environment, Housing and Regeneration and Chief Finance Officer, to progress and complete the legal documentation.

(3)       Agree that the Director of Environment, Housing and Regeneration in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the relevant Committee Chair is tasked with identifying the £39,500 of savings from within existing budgets required to meet the budget shortfall.