Decision details

The purpose of the report is to seek approval for an exemption of contract procedure rules to extend provision of external enforcement services for 12 months from October 2021.

RESOLVED - That:
To approve an exemption to the Council’s Constitution - Contract Procedure Rule 21.3 (j) where an exemption for a particular period can be justified. This will enable a separate decision to extend the External Enforcement Contract for 12 months from October 2021 to the end of September 2022.

Option 1 - To approve an exemption under the Council’s Constitution - Contract Procedure Rule 21.3 (j) – where an exemption for a particular period can be justified. The request is made under the Council’s Constitution - Contract Procedure Rule 21.3 (j) – where an exemption for a particular period can be justified. The reason is due to the Government’s Covid-19 legal restrictions which prevented enforcement activity for much of the period of the pandemic and the wider impact this had on the ability to collect debts. The Council also wishes to extend the contract temporarily to enable a wider review of the effectiveness of the in -house and external use of enforcement agents to determine an optimum model which would be reflected in any future open competition for these services.
Option 2 - Not to provide for an exemption to the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to enable an extension to the contract which would leave the Council with no contracted external supplier to deliver the service. Having no formal contract in place would increase risk for the Council and negatively impact on Council Tax and Business Rates collection.

Option 2 - Not to provide for an exemption to the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to enable an extension to the contract which would leave the Council with no contracted external supplier to deliver the service. Having no formal contract in place would increase risk for the Council and negatively impact on Council Tax and Business Rates collection.

n/a