Decision details

To recommend the selection and acceptance of tender(s) for the provision of catering services, commencing on 1 January 2003.

280/2002 Cabinet agreed to accept the tender submitted by Scolarest for the provision of school meals for a period of five years in order to secure an additional £445,000 investment in the development and marketing of the service on a schools only basis and a guaranteed minimum return to the Council of £72,000 per annum.
281/2002 Cabinet agreed to accept the tender submitted by Apetito for the supply and delivery of a hot complete meal, regenerated in a vehicle specifically designed to cook meals en route to customers, (at a cost to the Council of £150,592 p.a thus releasing a saving to the Council of £90,854 a year for a period of three years) with the option, at the sole discretion of the council, to extend for a further period of up to 24 months.
282/2002 Cabinet agreed to accept the tender submitted by Apetito for the supply and delivery of frozen, individual, complete meals, direct to service users homes where this is the appropriate option.
283/2002 Cabinet agreed the continuation of the existing arrangements for corporate catering at the Civic Centre, Municipal Buildings and Compass Centre and accepted the offer from Scolarest to manage the corporate catering services for a period of six months on a 'no fee' basis and ask officers to report back on the alternatives available for the future provision of the services at nil cost to the Council.

The price and quality offered by Scolarest for school meals and Apetito for community meals were considered to represent best value following detailed evaluation of each tender response. Scolarest have also offered to manage corporate catering for a period of six months on a 'no fee' basis to enable the Council to decide whether the service can be operated at nil cost.