Purpose

This report requests that the Director of
Neighbourhoods agrees to award a Pitch Renovation and Maintenance
contract to Duncan Ross Ltd.
 
The cost of the works will be fully met by the
£147,000 funding which was agreed as part of the residential
housing development of Acre Lane and formed part of the Section 106
Agreement. This contract includes initial pitch renovation works
and subsequent maintenance, for a period of up to 48 months
depending on budget and performance and is proposed to commence,
subject to contract, on 15th May 2023.
 
The initial scope was to improve the playing
quality of a minimum of 2 full sized football pitches by installing
a new drainage system, however after further discussion and in
consultation with the Football Foundation it has been agreed that
the best use of the available funding would be to carry out a
comprehensive pitch renovation scheme. We have further extended the
scope of the work to include all of the
pitches on the playing field. The site currently houses 3 full
sized pitches, 3 9v9 pitches and 1 mini soccer pitch.
 
The pitches currently suffer heavily from
compaction and the works identified will seek to address this
through soil structure improvement operations including
decompaction and aeration, along with surface grading, topdressing
and re-seeding, the purchase and installation of new goals and
sockets for 3 senior pitches, and subsequent maintenance
operations. These works will create a more open soil structure,
encourage better grass root development, improve drainage while
also improving drought resistance – enabling a longer playing
season at a consistent pitch standard.
The anticipated value of the contract is
£132,000. Some initial improvement works to the site boundary
having already been undertaken.
The subject of this report supports the
delivery of the Wirral Plan key priority of 'Active & Healthy
Lives’, by improving playing pitches used by the local
community.
 
This is not a key decision.
 

Decision

 
Resolved - that the
Director of Neighbourhood Services has agreed to award a Pitch
Renovation & Maintenance Contract to Duncan Ross Ltd as the
lowest priced bidder for a contract for the renovation of
Plymyard Football Pitch and as
otherwise described in this report.