The Council is seeking to award a contract to Alpine Vending Co Ltd, for a Fully Managed Vending Service across its Leisure Facilities.

To supply and install Vending Machines at all Leisure Sites, with the purpose of improving facilities for staff, visitors and members of the public, generating an additional revenue stream.

Leisure Services did not have the budget to fund the hire and/or purchase of vending machines or the time and resource to manage the stocking and general day to day management. Therefore, a detailed specification of vending requirements was issued to Procurement colleagues, with the desire for suppliers to aid Wirral Council in the following key outcomes;-

• Provision of a reliable suite of Vending Machines at zero cost to the Council
• Increase Income / Profit Generation
• Energy Efficient Machines (particularly in light of recent utility cost increases)
• Provide a variety of Vending Solutions
• Provide a varied mix of products that include Healthy & Fair-Trade Options
• Contactless / Alternative payment facilities
• Responsive service in relation to Machine Call Out / Breakdown
• Efficient Reporting – The Provision of Management Information, including % Profit Share, Sales by Site, Proposed product changes, Call out response times, uptake re Healthy/sugar free items
• Aid the authority in their reduction of single use plastics.
• Aid income generation to the Council based on a specified % profit share of sales, paid to Wirral Council on a monthly basis.

The contract will operate on a 50/50 gross profit share basis between Wirral Borough Council (WBC) and the supplier. The value of goods sold is expected to average £141,600 per annum (£708,000 over the full contract lifetime of 3+2 years). From this, WBC and the supplier would expect to achieve an equal share of £70,800 p/a (or £354,000 over the contract term).

Resolved – That the Director of Neighbourhood Services has accepted and awarded the leisure vending contract to Alpine Vending Co Ltd, for a Fully Managed Vending Service across its Leisure Facilities.

A previous Officer Decision Notice (ODN) referred incorrectly to awarding both contracts to Provider A and Provider C.  The award of both contracts is to Provider C.  The contract for Spinnaker House has been dealt with under the ODN to Provider C.  This decision addresses the award to Provider C of the contract for Sycamore Place.

Resolved – That the Care and Support in Extra Care Housing Contract for Sycamore Place be awarded to Provider C outlined in Appendix 1 (EXEMPT).

The report presents an update of the current position with regard to contractual arrangements following receipt of correspondence from the contracted NHS organisations regarding the decision of the Committee.

Resolved (7:2) (2 abstentions) – That in response to the Trust position regarding transfer of social care, the Committee would expect that we secure a safe, effective, and timely transfer that puts staff at the centre of the process. The proposed date of 1^st April is likely to be challenging. Committee would therefore propose a formal project plan is negotiated and agreed between the Local Authority and the Trust setting out the timeline required to both meet these objectives and mitigate against risk to both organisations and ensure seamless care for people who use the services and request the Director of Care and Health to provide an update report to the March 2023 Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee.

The Treasury Annexe Building is currently occupied on a short term lease by Make Hamilton Square Ltd (‘Make’) as a centre for makers and creatives.  Make intends to relocate to alternative premises in Argyle Street, Birkenhead on or before the expiration of the lease in July 2024.  At that point, the Annexe Building will become vacant and surplus to the Council’s requirements.

In September 2022, Wirral Borough Council secured approval and funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ (DLUHC) Towns Fund for a number of projects within the Birkenhead Town Deal programme. The Joy Project is one such project, which has identified the Treasury Annexe Building as a suitable location for its activities. 

It is therefore proposed that the Council makes a disposal of the property to the Open Door Charity on a long lease in return for a premium of £270,000 plus VAT.

The Wirral Plan 2021 - 2026 covers the following five themes:

• Safe & Pleasant Communities
• Brighter Futures
• Active and Healthy Lives
• Sustainable Environment
• Inclusive Economy

The disposal of this asset and the use of Town Deal funds, together with the wider regeneration programme, delivers against all of the above themes.

The transaction has implications for the Birkenhead and Tranmere ward.

This is not a key decision.

The Director of Regeneration and Place has agreed to the granting of a long lease to Open Door Charity (Charity No. 1189664) for a term expiring in December 2119 for a premium of £270,000 plus VAT, at a peppercorn annual rent, and otherwise in accordance with the Heads of Terms set out at Appendix 1 of this report.

This report requests that the Assistant Director- Leisure Libraries and Customer Engagement agrees to award a Floral Seasons Guide Printing & Fulfilment contract for the council to Sterling Press Ltd This will be for a three-year term and is to commence subject to contract on 1 February 2023.

The Floral Pavilion requires a printer and fulfilment service provider to produce a print version of the season’s brochure, three times a year. The Floral Pavilion produces three seasonal brochures with each having a print run of 50,000. 20,000 of the brochures are posted out to a selected database of regular bookers. 20,000 are distributed in Liverpool City Centre shops, cafes, restaurants and culture boxes and a further 20,000 are distributed across Wirral in cafes, shops, restaurants etc. A digital version of the brochure is created and promoted via our weekly e-newsletter which is sent to 21k + subscribers, via social media and from a link on the homepage of the website. A priority version of the digital brochure is also sent out to Friends of the Floral members, a subscription based scheme. The brochure is also distributed to Wirral Council hospitality and is a sales tool for the theatrical programme as well as the hospitality offering at the Floral Pavilion.

The decision supports the delivery of the Wirral Plan by enabling financial processes supporting plan delivery to continue.

Resolved – The Assistant Director – Leisure, Libraries and Customer Engagement has agreed to award the Floral Pavilion Seasons Guide Printing & Fulfilment contract to Sterling Press Ltd for a three-year term and is to commence subject to contract on 1 February 2023.

As detailed in the report.

Resolved – Thatthe recommendations in the report be approved.