Hart District Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are intending to award the joint contract to provide household waste and recycling collections to Serco for the next eight years, with an option of extending for a further eight years.
The new contract will see residents in Hart and Basingstoke and Deane receive a raised and improved bin collection service, following the announcement of the new £44m joint waste contract.
A joint waste contract for Hart and Basingstoke was agreed in 2011 delivering significant savings for both authorities over the past seven years. This current contract expires in October 2018 and the councils explained that “the retendered joint arrangements ensure the best possible service and continued value for money for residents in both council areas”.
The new joint contract, worth £5.5 million per year, will deliver additional benefits to residents, including a reduction in joint service costs. Serco will succeed the previous operator, Veolia.
Hart District Council’s Cabinet Member for Contracts, Cllr Alan Oliver, said: “As part of the original joint service it was agreed that Hart would be the administering authority for the contract, and that a joint client team was set up to manage the existing contract and to manage the tender process. We have been working closely with Basingstoke and Deane throughout the procurement process and we are both confident with our decision to award the contract to Serco.”
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and the Environment Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “Our primary objective is to ensure our residents receive good value for money. Working jointly in partnership with Hart District Council has allowed us to achieve significant improvements to the service provided, while securing the most efficient, value for money service for our residents.”
Robin Davies, Serco’s Business Development Director for Environmental Services, said: “We are very proud to have been selected as Preferred Bidder by Basingstoke and Hart Councils and are looking forward to working with them to deliver these essential services to local residents from October.”