Nottingham City Council has approved the employment of specialist advisors to provide guidance and support for the District Heating and Waste Disposal Review.
The Decision at a Glance
- Purpose: The engagement of consultants to offer expert legal, technical, financial, and other advice to council officers working on the Strategic Review of District Heating and Waste Disposal.
- Value: The decision is valued at £249,999.99, categorised under revenue expenditure.
- Department Involved: Communities Environment & Residents Services, with Ian Vernalls, Programme Manager, as the contact officer.
Background and Justification
The council says that the decision comes at a time when contracts for supplying energy to the district heating system and for the city’s waste disposal needs are up for renewal.
Recognising the lack of necessary expertise within the council, external advisors have been deemed essential.
Their advice is expected to shape the review report, which is scheduled for consideration by the Executive Board in the first quarter of 2024. The funding for this appointment will be sourced from existing budgets allocated for District Heating.
Procurement and Financial Implications
- Procurement Method: The services will be procured using a framework, complying with the Nottingham City Council (NCC) Contract Procedure Rules.
- Cost Efficiency: The projected cost for these services is £10,080 per month via the Bloom framework, resulting in a budget saving of £1,970 per month compared to current expenditures.
- Financial Oversight: Senior Commercial Finance Business Partner Sejal Mistry highlighted the need to realign income and expenditure budgets to ensure the decision remains affordable and does not lead to overspending.
