Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Transport Management

Forward Plan Ref: 2023/218

Contact: Phil Whitfield, Senior Project Manager, phil.whitfield@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Corporate Director Environment & Place (CA14).

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

a)         Endorse the approach and proposals surrounding the new highway maintenance contract as set out in this paper.

b)        Authorise Officers to prepare and commence the procurement of a new highway maintenance contract to start on 1st April 2025 (following a mobilisation period) for 8 years with options for two 3-year extensions (14-year potential contract length).

c)         Authorise Officers to prepare for and commence the procurement for a new gritting fleet ‘contract hire’ arrangement in alignment with the commencement of the new highways maintenance contract which can be transferred to the new maintenance provider.

d)        Delegate the decision to the award the contracts, and any potential future contract extensions, to the Corporate Director of Environment and Place.

Recommendations approved.

Cabinet had before it a report setting out proposals for a new highways maintenance contract. The Council currently operated (via the existing highway maintenance contractor) an aging winter gritting fleet which was increasingly expensive to maintain. When the new maintenance contract commences on 1st April 2025 there was a risk that the Council could be without a suitable gritting fleet due to long lead in times for replacement fleets. To manage this risk, it was proposed that the Council procure a ‘contract hire’ agreement for a replacement fleet.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, presented the report.

Councillor Gant moved and Councillor Sudbury seconded the recommendations and they were approved.

RESOLVED to:

a)         Endorse the approach and proposals surrounding the new highway maintenance contract as set out in this paper.

b)        Authorise Officers to prepare and commence the procurement of a new highway maintenance contract to start on 1st April 2025 (following a mobilisation period) for 8 years with options for two 3-year extensions (14-year potential contract length).

c)         Authorise Officers to prepare for and commence the procurement for a new gritting fleet ‘contract hire’ arrangement in alignment with the commencement of the new highways maintenance contract which can be transferred to the new maintenance provider.

d)        Delegate the decision to the award the contracts, and any potential future contract extensions, to the Corporate Director of Environment and Place.