Issue - meetings

                 Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Dr Mark McClelland Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste, Street Scene and Flooding presented a report seeking approval to tender for a new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the procurement of passenger transport contracts.

Cllr Dr McClelland explained that the Council spent about £31.3m per annum providing passenger transport services, £27.4m being procurable spend. The contracts are procured using mini competitions through a DPS, which is a type of framework but with the advantage of suppliers being able to apply to join at any time. With the current DPS due to expire in September 2022 the report sets out why a DPS should continue to be adopted and how this might be achieved.

Cllr Ian Thorn commented on the level of procurable spend per annum in the new DPS compared to current levels, the approved budget for passenger transport, the need to encourage the public to use public transport and that there appeared to be no equalities impact in relation to the tender process.  In response, the Cllr Dr McClelland and officers confirmed that the level of spend for passenger transport would increase over time, the figures detailed in the report referred to the total budgetary figures and bus companies were still experiencing the impact of Covid-19 on the number of passengers.

In response to a question from Cllr Clare Cape about outcomes improvements, Cllr Dr McClelland explained that the document was ambitious and improvements would be realised in the future.

Resolved:

i.               Cabinet agrees to the introduction of a revised Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) as a platform for the procurement of passenger transport contracts.

ii.             Cabinet delegate the responsibility for the award of contracts onto the DPS to the Director for Highways & Transport in consultation with the cabinet member.

iii.            Start date of proposed DPS arrangement will be from 01 September 2022 with an initial end date of 31 August 2027 with an optional extension of 2 years bringing this to a total of 7 years ending 31 August 2029

Reason for decision:

To ensure that Wiltshire Councils passenger transport contracts can be procured in an efficient and transparent manor, whilst maximising the market and potential cost savings.