Nottingham City Council has proposed a £420,000 one-year contract for the hire of commercial and specialist vehicles to ensure essential frontline services continue without disruption while longer-term fleet renewal plans are completed.
The agreement suggests awarding a direct one-year contract to Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK Limited through the Crown Commercial Service’s Public Sector Vehicle Hire Solutions framework. The deal covers a wide range of vehicles, from vans to passenger cars, for use by key council departments, including Housing Services and Adult Social Care.
The arrangement allocates £360,000 to Nottingham Housing Services—previously part of Nottingham City Homes—£40,000 to Adult Social Care and other council teams, and a £20,000 contingency for urgent short-term hires. The contract provides an interim solution while the council transitions from hired vehicles to a newly approved fleet procurement programme.
The move comes after a prolonged period during which around 80 vans used by Housing Services have been on long-term hire due to the poor condition of the former Nottingham City Homes vehicle fleet.
Many of those vehicles had reached the end of their operational life, making hire vehicles essential for maintenance, repairs, and tenant support services. The council confirmed that procurement for a permanent replacement fleet has now been approved, with new vehicles expected to begin arriving between November and December 2025, depending on delivery schedules.
Once the new fleet is rolled out, the hire vehicles will be returned in stages to reduce costs. Officials said the temporary hire arrangement will guarantee service continuity during the transition. Without it, critical statutory services such as housing repairs and social care transport would be at risk of interruption.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car was selected after a review of 11 suppliers on the Crown Commercial Service framework. The company’s extensive national network was judged to offer the best value for money, particularly in terms of flexibility, rapid response, and vehicle availability across Nottingham’s operational areas.
The report notes that the contract complies with the council’s procurement rules and public sector purchasing regulations.
Legal services advised that the current vehicle hire arrangements must be terminated in time for the new contract to take effect to avoid duplication. Finance officers confirmed that while the Parking Team manages procurement and allocation, the hire costs are covered by the individual service budgets that use the vehicles.
The decision, which is subject to call-in until 7 November 2025, is described as a temporary measure pending the completion of two major procurement exercises—one for the new permanent housing fleet and another for a wider council vehicle hire contract to cover future needs.
