Decision details

To extend the Council's current working arrangements with Marston’s Holdings Limited. and Rundle Co. Ltd. for 7 months (from the 1st November 2022 to the 31st May 2023). The contracts will require modification as the current contracts finish on 31st October 2022.

RESOLVED - That:To award a 7-month extension to the current working arrangements to allow the Revenues Service to develop a new 3-year contract based on an optimal balance between in-house and external enforcement.

Option 1 - To vary and extend the current working arrangements for 7 months at the current cost of £nil per annum. This will allow the Revenues service to develop the optimal scope of any new external service and commission a new 3-year contract accordingly.
Option 2 - To do nothing and let the contract lapse. However, it is a statutory obligation for the Council to collect unpaid Council Tax and Business Rates and the in-house resource may be insufficient to maintain current levels of Council Tax and Business Rates collection and arrears recovery. If there was no contract in place the Council would be almost certainly required to commission external enforcement services outside of Local Authority procurement rules in order to meet collection targets and ensure the financial resilience of the Council.

Option 2

Consultation with finance, procurement and legal officers.