Agenda item

1.

Title of Item/Report

Operational Depot Provision - Estate Rationalisation and Acquisition

2.

Record of the Decision

Prior to consideration of the item Cabinet agreed the following:-

RESOLVED that:-

1. The press and public be excluded from the meeting pursuant to section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraph 3; Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) as the information is exempt and if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information and

2. The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Consideration was given to a report Operational Depot Provision - Estate Rationalisation and Acquisition.

The requirement for the Waste Transfer Station to become operational at the Yarm Road depot in April 2026 necessitated the temporary relocation of the Council’s grounds maintenance service.  While this arrangement had ensured continuity in the short term, it was not a sustainable or suitable long-term solution. There was therefore a need to secure a long-term, fit for purpose depot facility for the grounds maintenance team.

The need for a new depot had also provided an opportunity to review the Council’s wider operational depot estate. The report outlined the findings of that review and sought approval to acquire an identified depot site to meet the long-term operational needs of the grounds maintenance service. The proposed site also had the potential to accommodate additional operational services in the future, supporting broader estate rationalisation and income generation. Any such future proposals would be subject to separate business cases.

Financial and commercial details relating to the acquisition were presented within the confidential appendix. 

RESOLVED that:-

1. The acquisition be approved of the identified depot site to provide a long-term and fit for purpose operational base for the Council’s grounds maintenance service.

2. The findings of the operational depot review be noted and acknowledge that, while the site offers potential to accommodate additional operational services, any such proposals will be subject to the development and approval of separate business cases.

3. Delegated authority be given to the Director of Regeneration and Inclusive Growth, in consultation with the Leader and Chief Finance Officer, to progress negotiations, undertake due diligence, agree terms, and complete the acquisition as set out in the confidential appendix.

4. Up to £1.097m of capital grant funding for depots from DEFRA be allocated to acquire the site and deliver the works required to create a facility to enable the long-term delivery of the grounds maintenance service as a direct consequence of the establishment of the Waste Transfer Station.

3.

Reasons for the Decision

The primary driver for the proposed acquisition is the urgent need to establish a long-term operational base for the Council’s grounds maintenance service, which is currently operating from a temporary site not owned by the Council. This temporary arrangement limits the service’s efficiency and does not provide the appropriate facilities required for long term operations.

The identified depot site provides a facility that meets the service’s operational requirements, including sufficient space for vehicles, equipment, and staff. Its characteristics also indicate potential to accommodate additional operational services in the future, supporting wider estate rationalisation. Any such future proposals would, however, require further detailed assessment and separate business cases. 

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The proposal is fully aligned with the Strategic Asset Management Plan 2025–2030 (SAMP), which emphasises proactive management of the Council’s assets to ensure they remain fit for purpose, support service delivery, and create opportunities to rationalise the estate and generate income

4.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None

5.

Declared (Cabinet Member) Conflicts of Interest

None

6.

Details of any Dispensations

None

7.

Date and Time by which Call In must be executed

Midnight, 1 May 2026