Issue - meetings

This report provides details of the current Children’s Services, Education and Skills Transport contract which is due to expire on the 31August 2016 and asks the Executive to consider the procurement process to select the most appropriate provider(s) to deliver this contract from the 1 September 2016. 

Resolved:  That Executive agree to:

(i)           Commence the process to procure a new transport provider(s)

(ii)          Consider a further paper at a later date to consider changes to the Children’s Services, Education and Skills transport policy.     

Reason:    To ensure that contract(s) are in place to provide the required services (as set out in paragraph 2 of the report) from the 1 September 2016. 

Consideration was given to a report on the current Children’s Services Education and Skills (CSES) directorate contract for taxis and minibuses which was due to expire on 31 August 2016.

It was noted that the contract currently provided all taxi and mini-bus customer requirements which included mainstream and Special Education Needs home to school transport, contact visits and other ad hoc children’s transport requirements.

In view of the success of the current contract and lessons learnt a four year contract was now proposed with a reduction in the procurement lots to three:

·        Lot 1 – Applefields & Hob Moor Oaks

·        Lot 2 – Contact Service

·        Lot 3 – All other CSES Transport

Consideration was given to a request to amend paragraph 21, in the report, to relate to the use of ultra low emission vehicles (with a tailpipe CO2 emission of 75g/km or less) together with the option to extend the contract for a further 3 years by which time all vehicles would be required to comply with this requirement.

Officers confirmed that if Members felt that environmental impact was an important criteria that this was a technical issue which should be brought to the attention of the procurement team.

Following further discussion it was

Resolved:  That Executive agree to:

(i)           Commence the process to procure a new transport provider(s); ^1.

(ii)          Consider a further paper at a later date to consider changes to the Children’s Services, Education and Skills transport policy. ^2.    

Reason:    To ensure that contract(s) are in place to provide the required services (as set out in paragraph 2 of the report) from the 1 September 2016.