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RESOLVED
that Cabinet -
 

(a) 
notes the indicative annual costs emerging at this
stage in the procurement process, as set out in the Portfolio
Holder’s report (B.1);
 

(b) 
notes the financial position that the Council finds
itself in and associated risk, uncertainty and associated value for
money matters;
 

(c)  
acknowledges that, as a direct implication of the
Local Government Reorganisation programme for Greater Essex, the
Council should no longer be pursuing a contract term for eight
years plus and that a shorter term is necessary;
 

(d) 
notes that through any proposed Local Government
Reorganisation, a Shadow Authority for the Unitary Authority could
be in place by April 2027, and be able to consider major contracts
and liabilities together with the Sovereign Council, but that there
is still significant uncertainly around any proposals and
timetables;
 

(e) 
notes the contents of the Legal Advice received by
the Council’s external solicitors, Sharpe Pritchard, as set
out in full in Appendix A to report B.1;
 

(f)   
undertakes an assessment of the risks identified
together with the required mitigation measures, as set out in the
aforementioned Appendix A and the body
of the report (B.1);
 

(g) 
subject to the above, determines whether to
recommend proceeding with consideration of Option 1 (being
confirmed in Part A following further information being
taken into account through the content
of that report (A.2)); and
 

(h) 
authorises the Corporate Director (Operations and
Delivery), in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the
Portfolio Holders for Environment & ICT and Assets &
Community Safety, and the Section 151 and Monitoring Officers to
exercise a degree of flexibility with regards to the contract term
following the dialogue sessions, to ensure the Council can deliver
a statutory service from April 2026, to be included within the
Invitation to Submit Final Tenders (which includes the detailed
specification), without the need to revert to Cabinet.