Rutland County Council to extend contracts to keep providing essential services

A number of contracts due for review will have to be extended to ensure Rutland County Council can continue to deliver essential services.

The authority’s cabinet agreed on Tuesday that deals with contractors - including one for waste services - will have to be reviewed at a later date.

Coun Gordon Brown, portfolio holder for environment, said the waste services contract is not up for review until 2022 but the process of picking a new one can take many months.

The tendering process, negotiations and then the lead-in period can take two years, after which there may need to be an employee transfer and equipment purchase process.

It was suggested at the cabinet meeting, which took place over conference call website Zoom, that full council should decide on May 20 whether to extend contracts.

A report produced ahead of the meeting states why the extensions are needed.

It says: “The current outbreak of Covid-19 is unprecedented and will have a significant impact on businesses of all sizes including the council.

“During this time and for a significant recovery period after, the council will struggle to meet its obligations ... to re-procure contracts and this could put at risk the council’s ability to provide continuity of service.

“The council finds itself in a position where a number of significant contracts were due to end in the near future and contract activity was either underway or due to commence but has been put on hold.

“The council is now seeking to extend a number of contracts.”

Coun Lucy Stephenson, portfolio holder for culture, leisure, highways and transport, said: “This seems to be common sense.”

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