Agenda, decisions and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2025 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest to report.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting. The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  Further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

All submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected]  by 8.30am on 15 May 2025.

When submitting your question or statement please note that:

•         You can submit 1 question or 1 statement.

•         a question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.

•         It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted.

•         Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.

•         when submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder)

•         Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting.

•         questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

•         all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.  

There were no questions/statements from the public. 

To receive questions submitted by councillors.  

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total.   Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

The submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected]  8.30am on Thursday 15 May 2025. 

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13 

There were no questions from Councillors to report.

To consider the draft Cabinet Forward Plan.

The draft Cabinet Forward Plan for June 2025 was received and noted.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Place.

(a)  That the procurement procedure be approved.

(b)  That authority to award the contract be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Place, in consultation with the Executive Director of Place Services.

(c)  That the contract service hours be reduced by one hour per day, closing daily at midnight.

Reason for the decision

Dorset Council was publicly committed to funding ground-level pedestrian access for the foreseeable future, including during the current administration's term. The proposal aimed to address staff welfare concerns and reduce budgetary pressures whilst maintaining an essential pedestrian access.

The Cabinet Member for Place set out a report seeking approval to retender the five-year contract for crossing attendants at Wareham Level Crossing and to reduce the contract service hours by an hour per day.

Cabinet members welcomed the proposal as Dorset Council was committed to funding this ground-level pedestrian access for the foreseeable future.

It was proposed by Cllr J Andrews and seconded by Cllr N Ireland

Decision

(a)  That the procurement procedure be approved.

(b)  That authority to award the contract be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Place, in consultation with the Executive Director of Place Services.

(c)  That the contract service hours be reduced by one hour per day, closing daily at midnight.

Reason for the decision

Dorset Council was publicly committed to funding ground-level pedestrian access for the foreseeable future, including during the current administration's term. The proposal aimed to address staff welfare concerns and reduce budgetary pressures whilst maintaining an essential pedestrian access.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Place.

(a)   That the recommendations of Business Justification Case to secure a strategic partner for Dorset Council’s Highways Services, be approved; to assist in delivering the service’s capital works programme, contributing to the Council’s corporate aim of growing Dorset economy, as well as the Place Plan aimed to protect the natural environment, climate and ecology.

(b)   That the approval of the terms and conditions of the Highways Term Service (HTSC) Contract, and the decision to award the HTSC be delegated to the Executive Director for Place Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Place.

(c)    That the decision to award contracts and works orders made under the HTSC up to the value of £500k, and the approval of associated terms and conditions be delegated to the Executive Director for Place following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Place Services.

(d)   That any decision to award a contract or works order under the HTSC over the value of £500k be made by the Executive Director for Place Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Place and the Executive Director for Corporate Development (S151 Officer).

Reason for the decision

To ensure continued provision of efficient, effective and value for money highway services enabling the Council to continue to fulfil its statutory obligations in acting as the local highway authority for Dorset.  

The Cabinet Member for Place presented a report seeking Cabinet’s approval to commence the procurement of a new Dorset Council Highways Service Contract (HTSC) to be implemented from April 2027.

In response to questions the Corporate Director for Highways and Engineering advised that the in-house resource provides for the council’s winter maintenance function, requiring at a minimum 75 employees.

Dorset Council did not consist of the in-house resources to gear up to larger projects and therefore some form of a top-up provider was essential to deliver the service across the council’s area. The Operations Board and the Strategic Partnership Board within the service would discuss the merits of which provider, internal or external that would-be best placed to carry out the works.

In response to a further question, the Corporate Director for Highways and Engineering confirmed that under a procurement process there is an element necessary to demonstrate social value within a contract and this scoring would be part of the balance of cost versus quality when deciding on a contract.

It was proposed by Cllr J Andrews and seconded by Cllr S Clifford

Decision

(a)   That the recommendations of Business Justification Case to secure a strategic partner for Dorset Council’s Highways Services, be approved; to assist in delivering the service’s capital works programme, contributing to the Council’s corporate aim of growing Dorset economy, as well as the Place Plan aimed to protect the natural environment, climate and ecology.

(b)   That the approval of the terms and conditions of the Highways Term Service (HTSC) Contract, and the decision to award the HTSC be delegated to the Executive Director for Place Services following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Place.

(c)    That the decision to award contracts and works orders made under the HTSC up to the value of £500k, and the approval of associated terms and conditions be delegated to the Executive Director for Place following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Place Services.

(d)   That any decision to award a contract or works order under the HTSC over the value of £500k be made by the Executive Director for Place Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Place and the Executive Director for Corporate Development (S151 Officer).

Reason for the decision

To ensure continued provision of efficient, effective and value for money highway services enabling the Council to continue to fulfil its statutory obligations in acting as the local highway authority for Dorset.  

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items considered at the meeting.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph x of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.  

There are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.  

There was no exempt business scheduled at this meeting.