That the Pest Control Contract be awarded to the preferred bidder as set out in Exempt Appendix 1 to the submitted report.

Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, Local Authorities are required to take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that their district is kept free from rats and mice.  A failure to award the contract to the successful bidder, would result in a substantial delay in the contract start date.

An alternative option would have been to ‘do nothing’ this option was discounted as it would have left Torbay Council’s land and property assets, any held by its wholly owned arms length companies, within the boundary of the Council’s area of jurisdiction, open to infestation and environmental health risks.

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on 29 August 2023 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

Pest Control services had been put out to tender in order to provide a robust and reliable Pest Control Service on land and property assets owned by Torbay Council and held by its wholly owned arms length companies, within the boundary of the Council’s area of jurisdiction. The appointed Contractor was required by Torbay Council to address rat problems and where appropriate, mice on Council owned land and property assets.

At the meeting Councillor Tyerman proposed and Councillor Tranter seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out above.

None.