The LibDems have reported that the Welwyn Hatfield Council are set to retain Serco for a further seven years, without bothering to look for anyone else to do the work better or more cheaply.
Cabinet papers for a meeting on January 8th show Serco are going to be given the 'streetscene' contract, which covers waste and recycling collections, as well as verge and hedge work - the 'grounds maintenance' aspect - for another 7 years.
LibDem councillor Malcolm Cowan says 'We are shocked that this is happening without any other company being given the chance to compete and with no notification to or consultation with, local people, many of whom are less than impressed by Serco. Even more questionable is that this is being rushed through over the Xmas and New Year period when residents have their minds on other things or are away.
The report (below) says No additional consultation has been carried out, outside the Council corporate consultation of You Choose and My Council surveys.
'Although a cut in the Serco price of £200,000 per year is shown, there is no indication how that has been arrived at or whether more could have been achieved. So what are Serco going to cut, their profits or the quality of the work?'
'My own view is that after many stumbles along the way, the waste and recycling collection is now operating pretty well, and this is backed up by reaction from my surveys of local people. What we are much less happy with is the grounds maintenance part. At minimum, this should have been opened up to competition, and there should have been consultation with residents, who are, after all, are the ones paying for it.'