Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon, Councillor Muhammad Ali

Officer: Interim Executive Director of Place, Sarah Hayward

Key decision: no

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

RESOLVED: To the extension by way of variation of the contract for Specialist Arboricultural works with City Suburban Tree Surgeons Limited for nine (9) months from 1st April 2021 to 31st December 2021 at a value of £400,000 (maximum contract value, including this proposed extension will be £9,221,369).

The Cabinet Member for Resources & Financial Governance (Councillor Callton Young) informed Members that the arboricultural services had been delivered by a supply chain partner since 2008 and that a contract extension was required to December 2021 which would allow time for the council to go out to procurement for the service. It was highlighted that during the extension period work would consist of only emergency and essential works only to ensure the council’s compliance and duty of care.

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon (Councillor Muhammad Ali) stated the short extension would allow the council to mitigate the risk of any potential legal challenge but would allow the council time to develop a business case and procurement strategy for a more substantive long term contract. It was stated that future contract arrangements would deliver value for money and would better reflect the council’s current and emerging social value requirements.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon (Councillor Scott Roche) queried what the impact of emergency maintenance would be on issues such as overhanging trees on pathways and public spaces, as concerns were raised in terms of the impact on disabled access. Additionally, concerns were raised in relation to trees which would be at risk of causing damage during storms.

In response, the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Croydon stated the current contract was subject to terms and conditions, however stressed that the longer term solution would better reflect the council’s financial situation and revised service delivery. It was stated the Cabinet Member felt that a good quality of service was being delivered.

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

RESOLVED: To the extension by way of variation of the contract for Specialist Arboricultural works with City Suburban Tree Surgeons Limited for nine (9) months from 1st April 2021 to 31st December 2021 at a value of £400,000 (maximum contract value, including this proposed extension will be

£9,221,369).