Decision details

To award a contract to Nissan Motors GB Ltd (Nissan Dealership – Wessex Garages) for the supply one Nissan Interstar 3.5t L3H2 Panel Van at a total cost of £34,550.90 plus VAT including £375.00 1st registration fee and 12 months road fund licence

Purchase Order to be raised to supplying Nissan Dealership – Wessex Garages.

Ubico, on behalf of Cheltenham Borough Council, environmental services across the borough including repair and maintenance of fleet and equipment.

The vehicle currently used by the Ubico fleet workshop for roadside breakdowns (a Mercedes Sprinter - GL64EPJ) is now 10 years old and has reached the end of its natural life and due for replacement on the 2023/24 asset replacement plan.

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.

The vehicle that is proposed to be purchased will have a Euro 6 engine, which is the cleanest and greenest diesel engine currently available in this market sector. The manufacturer of this vehicle also permits the use of HVO fuels, which is now being used by most of the current Council fleet.

Whilst there are electric vehicles of this type available on the market to purchase, these are significantly more expensive when costed against conventional ICE models, have limited range and payload and would present an operational risk to this service area and therefore not practicable at present.

Ubico have carried out a procurement exercise – TPPL.

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.

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.