Agenda item

The Executive Member for Wellbeing submitted a report in respect of the current grounds maintenance contract that was due to expire on 31 December 2027. She explained that Glendale were in year 6 of an 8-year grounds contract with the option of reprocuring or extending for a further 5 years.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing said that should the council wish to retender the contact, the process would need to begin in 2026 and would likely take approximately two years to complete. She said that there were financial implications for that option estimated at approximately £70k to cover the cost of potential external consultants and also for substantial officer time.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing set out the maintenance activities covered by the contract. She said that with local government reorganisation on the horizon, an alternative was to extend the existing contract for up to a further 5 years. Part of this extension could include potential improvements such as around the use of Glyphosate.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing welcomed suggestions around alternative options and said that she was aware that Members were keen to explore what other options maybe available. The Executive Member said that she was keen to hear Members’ further thoughts on the ground’s maintenance contract and the use of Glyphosate.

Members asked questions in respect of the following:

·               Tendering arrangements and removing Glyphosate from the contract

·               Outcomes of research into alternatives to Glyphosate as the only available research is out of date

·               Not using Glyphosate in parks and alternatives for parks and open spaces

·               Local Government Reorganisation review and break clauses in the grounds’ maintenance contract

·               Alternatives being used by other councils e.g. Hackney (mulches and wildflower planting to encourage wildlife)

·               Residue of Glyphosate in children’s playgrounds

·               Private members’ bill going through parliament calling for councils to ban the use of Glyphosate in public areas.

·               Health and Safety Executive review of Glyphosate licensing and a public consultation

·               Harm of Glyphosate being used in the wrong place (chalk rivers/streams in East Herts)

·               Harm to wildlife and a collapse in biodiversity for a number of insect species populations

·               What the Council was doing to reduce and eliminate the use of Glyphosate (might have to be the odd exception - i.e. to control Japanese Knotweed)

·               If the period of contract extension could be for two years instead of up to 5 years into the new unitary authority

·               Further detail around the meeting of monthly key performance indicators (KPIs)

Members heard that there was scope when the contract was extended for Officers to have discussions with the contractor around key elements, which could include the use of Glyphosate and other areas of concern or where the council wanted to see some improvements. There was a strong consensus in line with 1.3 of report to eliminate the use of glyphosate from the grounds’ maintenance contract across East Herts Council–owned parks and open spaces.

The Director for Place advised that she would be looking for the team to take these issues forward and, in more detail, as the contract extension was explored. She confirmed that she would come back to Members to explain what Officers had already discussed and how they would take these matters forward. Members were also advised that there would be a break clause in the contact to allow for what may happen in terms of Local Government Reorganisation.

Councillor Cox proposed, and Councillor Nicholls seconded, a motion that Overview and Scrutiny Committee have considered the proposals to extend the current grounds maintenance contract with Glendale for a further five years and had provided comments to the Executive Member for Wellbeing regarding an alternative use of the herbicide glyphosate and investigations regarding different methods of weed control for East Herts Council’s parks and open spaces.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) Members of Overview and Scrutiny Committee have considered the proposal to extend the current grounds maintenance contract with Glendale for a further five years.

(B)   the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding an alternative use of the herbicide glyphosate and investigations regarding different methods of weed control for East Herts Council’s parks and open spaces be forwarded to the Executive Member for Wellbeing.