Decision details

To award a contract to Watling JCB Ltd. To supply 1 x JCB 560-80 Waste Materials Handler at a total cost of £138,245.00 plus VAT.

Ubico, on behalf of Cheltenham Borough Council, deliver waste and recycling collections across the Borough.

To deliver recycling services at the household recycling centre and also at the bulking shed at the Swindon Road depot where the borough’s recycling is bulked, Ubico operate two waste materials handlers which are essential to operations on the site.

The older of the two machines has reached the end of its natural life and is due for replacement in the 2024-25 asset replacement plan (FG19ODV).

This procurement is in line with the cabinet decision dated 30 November 2021 approving the move to alternative fuels or away from internal combustion engines for all our fleet and plant as quickly as practicable where alternatives are available and within available resources to support our climate change ambitions of net zero by 2030.

There are no viable alternatives available on the market at present however the manufacturer of the vehicle being purchased permits the use of HVO fuels, which is now being used by most of the current Council fleet.

Ubico have carried out a procurement through the TPPL Framework

Officers have considered whether the service could continue to be delivered without these vehicles and concluded that it could not.  These ICE vehicles will be fuelled by HVO not diesel to reduce carbon emissions. Not replacing these vehicles at this point in time will not deliver the benefits set out above and have a negative impact on the budget.

This is not considered to be a key decision and is funded from within existing capital budget approved by Council as part of the budget setting process in line with part 3E, Article 13 of the Council’s Constitution.

The tender acceptance form is attached to the cabinet member decision form and is exempt from publication by virtue of paragraph(s) 3 part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Internal consultation has taken place with relevant officers.  The Cabinet Member Waste, Recycling and Street Services has been consulted.  Officers and the cabinet member agree there is a need to procure these vehicles to continue to deliver statutory services and minimise revenue costs.