Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Director of Property and Housing attached.

This report has been added to the agenda as an urgent item. It cannot be deferred for the following reason:

·         That due to the election in May 2019 the next Cabinet meeting is scheduled to take place on 19 June 2019 and a delay in awarding the contract could risk ice cream facilities not being available on our parks during a key period.

RESOLVED (Unanimously)

That delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive/Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the portfolio holder for Corporate Support and Assets to tender and award the concession for the sale of ice cream (and other beverages) from the five parks listed in the report and the kiosk in Worden Park.

Councillor Colin Clark, Cabinet Member (Corporate Support and Assets) presented a report of the Assistant Director of Property and Housing that updated on the progress in re-tendering the ice cream vendor opportunity for five parks across the Borough, including the kiosk located at Worden Park.

It was proposed by Councillor Colin Clark, seconded by Councillor Caroline Moon and

Decision made (Unanimously)

That delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive/Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the portfolio holder for Corporate Support and Assets to tender and award the concession for the sale of ice cream (and other beverages) from the five parks listed in the report and the kiosk in Worden Park.

Reason(s) for the decision:

1.    The Council is undertaking a procurement exercise to appoint an ice cream vendor to the five parks including the kiosk at Worden Park. The tender is due to go out to market the week commencing 18 March 2019 and shall provide an opportunity for bidders to provide ice cream to local parks from 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2022. The tender shall be advertised through both the Chest and local advertisement for a period of three weeks.

2.    The contract with the current vendor is due to end on 31 March 2019 and discussions are taking place with the vendor to ascertain if they are willing to continue to sell ice cream for the interim until the new provider is appointed under a short term licence agreement.

3.    Due to the tender affecting more than two wards the matter is considered as a key decision and is required to be agreed by Cabinet. The Chair of Scrutiny Committee has agreed to the report being included on the agenda as an urgent item as if this had not been agreed the next available Cabinet meeting is due to take place on 19 June 2019 and in the absence of a delegated authority to appoint the vendor there is a risk that the parks would be without a place to purchase ice cream until July 2019.

4.    It is worth noting that presently there is no provision of mobile ice cream vans at any of the parks other than Worden Park. The tendering exercise shall encompass the opportunity for vendors to provide ice creams at all of the parks mentioned in this report as well as additional provisions of vans for major events in the parks.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

The Council could decide not to provide any opportunities to purchase ice cream within the parks until the new supplier has been appointed. This would present a temporary reduction in service and loss of revenue to the Council.