Item 09 - Procurement of Vehicles for School Transport
West Dunbartonshire Council · 28 May 2025
Back to Educational Services Committee — 28 May 2025 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Education Officer Committee: Educational Services Committee 28 March 2025 Subject: Procurement of Vehicles for School Transport 1 Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on plans to transport pupils with Additional Support Needs (ASN) to and from school from the beginning of school session 2025/26. 1.2 This report seeks approval from Members to proceed with the procurement of six vehicles as part of the fleet to transport children to and from school. 2 Recommendations 2.1 To meet statutory requirements and Council policy, it is necessary to secure provision of transportation for children to and from school. 2.2 It is recommended that Committee: i) Note the progress made securing arrangements for home to school transport for children with Additional Support Needs (ASN); ii) Authorise the Chief Officer - Regulatory and Regeneration to conclude on behalf of West Dunbartonshire Council (the Council), a direct award via ‘The Procurement Partnership Limited’ (TPPL) framework ‘Bath and North East Somerset Council & TPPL’, to Ford Motor Company Limited, Lot 1 Vehicle Chassis with Ford nominating ‘Trust Ford’ as the supplying dealership; and iii) Note that the award shall be for the supply & delivery of six minibuses (17 seat), including a five year warranty at a value of £307,336.26 inclusive of VAT. Delivered to Richmond Street Depot, Fleet and Waste Services, Richmond Street, Clydebank, G811RF in time for the commencement of the new school session in August 2025. 3 Background 3.1 The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 requires Education Authorities to provide appropriate provision to assist pupils with accessing education. The Act requires that free transport be provided for all pupils up to the age of eight who live more than two miles from their local school and pupils over the age of eight who live more than three miles from their local school. 3.2 The policy presently operated by West Dunbartonshire Council provides free home-to-school transport for primary school children who live more than one ITEM 9
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mile from their local school and for secondary school children who live more than two miles from their local school. 3.3 During the school day, the Council transport young people between our secondary schools to allow them to access courses provided in another school. 3.4 The Education Authority is also required to make provision for pupils with Additional Support Needs to attend a school to meet their requirements. Presently, our approach is following the outcome of a ‘Team Around the Child’ meeting, transport may be requested for a child to attend school. Depending on the needs of the child, this could take the form of shared transportation or individual transportation with or without an escort. 3.5 Further to the paper presented to committee in March 2025, Education staff have worked with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), and colleagues in the Corporate Procurement Unit, Fleet Services and Drivers Services to scope out requirements for transportation of children with Additional Support Needs. 4 Main Issues 4.1 Our approach which we plan to commence in August 2025 will involve the majority of pupils being transported by Internal Transport to our ASN bases (the Rainbow Base in St, Joseph’s, Leven Base in Renton Campus, Lomond Base in Balloch Campus and the new Riverside School), similar to the existing approach to transporting pupils to Kilpatrick, Vale of Leven Communication Base and Cunard School. To meet this provision, we will need to procure six additional vehicles for the fleet, and recruit additional drivers. Out with the runs taking place at the start and end of the school day, this will increase capacity for transportation during the school day for senior pupils. 4.2 Where the needs of specific individual young people would not be met with shared transportation, we will work with SPT to procure individual contracts using their Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Additional Support Needs (ASN). This is presently being used as the preferred route to the market by both Glasgow City Council and Inverclyde Council. Our existing taxi contractors have been made aware of this change, and we have requested that they join SPTs DPS to bid for new contracts from session 2025/26 onwards. Existing contracts that are still required that are already in place from our existing framework will be unaffected. 4.3 Pursuing this approach will generate a saving for the Council but will require Education to make a capital purchase from a revenue budget in 2025/26 for the cost of the vehicles. Savings will be realised from year two and beyond and will be presented as part of future budget saving work. 4.4 This procurement exercise has been conducted in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders and Financial Regulations and the Public Procurement Regulations.
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4.5 This paper seeks authorisation for the Chief Officer - Regulatory and Regeneration to conclude on behalf of West Dunbartonshire Council (the Council), a direct award via ‘The Procurement Partnership Limited’ (TPPL) framework ‘Bath and North East Somerset Council & TPPL’, to Ford Motor Company Limited, Lot 1 Vehicle Chassis with Ford nominating ‘Trust Ford’ as the supplying dealership for the supply & delivery of six minibuses (17 seat), including a five year warranty at a value of £307,336.26 inclusive of VAT. 4.6 The six minibuses will be delivered to Richmond Street Depot, Fleet and Waste Services, Richmond Street, Clydebank, G811RF in time for the commencement of the new school session in August 2025. The cost of these vehicles would be met from the existing revenue budget for Additional Support Needs (ASN) school transport budget of £1.016M. 4.7 Work continues with Roads and Fleet Management to develop a Service Level Agreement ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities between Fleet, Drivers Services and Education for the provision of this service. The School Transport policy will be updated to reflect this change, with a review of communications to parents and carers reflecting this change in approach to ensure a smooth transition to a new operating model of delivery. 5 People Implications 5.1 There are no direct people implications arising from this report. 6 Financial & Procurement Implications 6.1 Financial costs in respect of this Contract will be met from the approved budget for ASN school on the current transport service requirements, the anticipated spend will be contained within draft budget. 6.2 All procurement activity carried out by the Council in excess of £50,000 is subject to contract strategy. The contract strategy for Additional Support Needs Contracts was produced by the Corporate Procurement Unit in close consultation with Education Learning and Attainment. The contract strategy included but was not limited to; contract scope, service forward plan, the market, procurement model and routes – including existing delivery vehicles, roles and responsibilities, risks, issues and opportunities and on-going contract management. The contract strategy was approved on 7 May 2025. 6.3 Further opportunities to maximise the positive social, economic and environmental impact for West Dunbartonshire Council through the contract will also be explored, via the use of Community Benefit Clauses included within the tender. 7 Risk Analysis 7.1 If timescales for tendering are met, there is no identified risk to the service in relation to this issue.
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8 Equalities Impact Assessment 8.1 An equalities impact assessment screening was undertaken which determined a full equalities impact assessment was not required. 9 Consultation 9.1 Procurement, Legal, Education, Learning & Attainment and Section 95 Officer have been consulted on the content of this paper. 10 Strategic Assessment 10.1 High quality school transport contracts contribute to the Council’s strategic priority of our residents being supported to increase life and learning skills, as part of communities that are resilient and thriving. Chief Officer: Laura Mason Service Area: Education Date: 07 May 2025 _____________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: Andrew Brown andrew.brown@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: None Background Papers: Item 9 – School Transport, Education Services, 19th March 2025 (link) Wards Affected: All