Appendix 1 is an exempt appendix (see item 24)

Appendix 2 attached

Councillor Harry Smith introduced a report by the Head of Environment and Regulation that informed of the outcome of the procurement exercise for a new term Highway Services Contract to replace the current contract which ends on 31 March 2014.  The Head of Regulation and Regulation recommended awarding the contract to the preferred bidder, based on their tender being the most economically advantageous to the Council.

Parts of the report relate to the commercial considerations of the tenders submitted and their evaluation, together with value for money assessments which utilise price information relating to the preferred bidder’s tender and that of the current provider were set out in Appendix 1 to the report and were exempt from public disclosure in accordance with paragraph 3 of Part 1 of schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.  This Appendix would be considered in Part 2 of the meeting once the press and public had been excluded.  (Minute No. 105 refers)

The Cabinet noted that the maintenance of highways was a statutory duty imposed on the Council as a Highway Authority.  The maintenance of the highway infrastructure also underpinned the regeneration of local communities and the creation of new jobs through providing good transport links.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the outcome of the procurement exercise described in the report be noted;

(2)  the outcome of the value for money and external assurance reviews be noted and the proposed approach to resolving outstanding matters set out in the action plan prepared in response to the external review recommendations be noted; and

(3)  the award of the Highway Services Contract 2014 – 2018 to the preferred bidder, subject to statutory standstill procedures be approved.