Issue - meetings

Background:

This report recommended an amendment to the decision made by Cabinet on 29 October 2013 on the report entitled ‘Establishing a subsidiary company for the transfer of grounds maintenance services’.

The revised proposal was that the Council should transfer the grounds maintenance services to a division of Medway Norse rather than establish a subsidiary company.

It was noted that as part of finalising the financial model for transferring the grounds maintenance services, it had became clear that minimising costs in relation to the services being transferred was necessary and therefore it was suggested and agreed that a division rather than a subsidiary company should be created. However, the specific nature of the original recommendations in the October 2013 report meant that before the deed of variation to the original contract with Medway Norse was signed, a revised decision was needed for the activities to be transferred into Medway Norse.  It was reported that Medway Norse had taken on responsibility for the grounds maintenance services and therefore the deed of variation needed to be signed as soon as possible.

It was reported that, in line with rule 16.11 of Chapter 4, Part 5 of the Constitution, call-in would be waived on this item to enable the deed of variation to be sealed as soon as possible. It was noted that the Chairman of the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee had agreed that the decisions proposed were reasonable in all the circumstances and to them being treated as a matter of urgency and to waive call-in.

Reasons:

The need to minimise costs related to transferring the grounds maintenance services.

The need to have the contract signed as soon as possible.