The Cabinet of Merton Council met on Monday 22 June 2026, approving variations to contracts for CCTV and ANPR maintenance and leisure services, and awarding a new contract for agency workers.

Variation to the CCTV and ANPR Maintenance Contract

The Cabinet approved a contract variation of £1,750,000 for the maintenance of the council's CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. This variation, which extends the contract until November 2027, is necessary due to the expansion of the CCTV and ANPR networks and significant investment in public safety infrastructure. Councillor Stuart Neaverson, Cabinet Member for Cleaner Streets, Environment and Transport, highlighted that the contract variation would help tackle fly-tipping and improve air quality by enabling better monitoring of traffic and vehicle emissions. The funding for this variation has been allocated from existing budgets.

Leisure Operator Agency Model Implementation

A contract variation was approved to implement an agency model for leisure services with Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL). This change, which will take effect from 1 August 2026, is in line with recent HMRC guidance on VAT recovery for leisure services. The new model will allow the council to treat income as non-business for VAT purposes, enabling the recovery of VAT on associated costs and generating an estimated additional £250,000 per annum in revenue, totalling approximately £1 million over the remainder of the contract. Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Heritage, stated that this variation would not impact the existing contract length or the quality of services provided to residents. The decision was made following extensive research into similar models adopted by other local authorities and consultation with specialist leisure sector consultants and legal advisors.

Contract Award for Agency Worker Contract

The Cabinet approved the direct award of a contract for agency workers through the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) framework. This new contract, valued at approximately £95 million (excluding VAT) over five years, will continue the council's use of a neutral vendor model. Councillor Stephen Alambritis MBE, Cabinet Member for Finance, Growth and Corporate Services, noted that the contract mandates the payment of the London Living Wage to agency staff. The report highlighted that agency staff remain crucial for maintaining service continuity, particularly in areas like social care and children's services, and for filling hard-to-recruit roles. The NEPO framework was chosen over the ESPO framework due to its greater cost-effectiveness and the provision of a dedicated on-site account manager. The contract also includes social value requirements, such as promoting local employment and apprenticeships.