Bin and Signage Replacement Programmes
Argyll and Bute Council · 1 December 2022
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 1 December 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 1 DECEMBER 2022 BIN AND SIGNAGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMMES 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 At the budget meeting on 24 February 2022, the Council allocated £100k for a litter bin replacement programme and infrastructure, providing new/better bins across the area where required due to condition/need and with a focus on town centres and prominent locations, to support cleaner communities. 1.2 An update on this scheme was provided as part of a wider update report on Council-funded projects being delivered by the Roads and Infrastructure Service at the June Environment, Development and Infrastructure (EDI) Committee meeting. That update provided background to the scheme:- The bin programme will focus on bin replacements and where possible combining multiple bins to improve the street scape, with a view to supporting and managing staycation/increased visitor numbers. Where possible the replacement bins will be 240L wheel bins contained in a ‘street cabinet’ similar to those installed in Oban town centre. These are better bins which increase capacity for some of the older bins and ease loading where wheeled bin can be contained within the street cabinets (which look more attractive and are not susceptible to blowing around in a storm unlike empty wheeled bins). Funding spilt evenly across the four administrative areas. At market prices available in February this had been assumed to provide 49 bins per area (196 across Argyll and Bute). Recently we have seen prices increases across a whole range of sectors – the current estimate is that the £100k budget will now provide a total of 156 bins in total. This is a reduction on the numbers estimated in February when the budget was allocated. RECOMMENDATIONS Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee are asked to note and consider this report.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 1 DECEMBER 2022 BIN AND SIGNAGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMMES 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report provides a short update on the bin and signage replacement programmes, following the allocation of £100K at the Council’s budget meeting on 24 February 2022. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee are asked to note and consider this report. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 BIN REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME 4.1.1 At the budget meeting on 24 February 2022, the Council allocated £100k for a litter bin replacement programme and infrastructure, providing new/better bins across the area where required due to condition/need and with a focus on town centres and prominent locations, to support cleaner communities. 4.1.2 An update on this scheme was provided as part of a wider update report on Council-funded projects being delivered by the Roads and Infrastructure Service at the June Environment, Development and Infrastructure (EDI) Committee meeting. That update provided background to the scheme:- The bin programme will focus on bin replacements and where possible combining multiple bins to improve the street scape, with a view to supporting and managing staycation/increased visitor numbers. Where possible the replacement bins will be 240L wheel bins contained in a ‘street cabinet’ similar to those installed in Oban town centre. These are better bins which increase
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capacity for some of the older bins and ease loading where wheeled bin can be contained within the street cabinets (which look more attractive and are not susceptible to blowing around in a storm unlike empty wheeled bins). Funding spilt evenly across the four administrative areas. At market prices available in February this had been assumed to provide 49 bins per area (196 across Argyll and Bute). Recently we have seen prices increases across a whole range of sectors – the current estimate is that the £100k budget will now provide a total of 156 bins in total. This is a reduction on the numbers estimated in February when the budget was allocated. 4.1.3 The tender was awarded for production and delivery of replacement bins in September with a delivery timeframe of circa six weeks provided. At the time of writing this report we are expecting the new bins to start arriving in our depots in the next fortnight, so by the time of the committee meeting the installation of the new bins should be underway. 4.1.4 The original assumed prices and number of possible bins was based on a single specification of 240ltr metal bin cabinets with additional coating to protect from a marine/coastal environment. Officers revisited the proposed programme and where possible altered the specification of bins to model a mixture of cabinets based on the specific needs of particular settings; this exercise provided for a mixture of coated metal, metal, fibreglass and plastic bin cabinets, and in some cases smaller capacity bins as appropriate. This combined with tender returns being at a lower rate than expected based on previous orders [an economy of scale realised by buying in bulk which shows the benefit of this type of significant capital investment] means the successful bidder is able to provide 286 bins in total. The tender ran through a mini-competition on the Scotland Excel Recycle and Refuse containers framework which contains ten suppliers, two of whom submitted bids which were reviewed on a 70/30 price/quality scoring. 4.2 SIGNAGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME 4.2.1 The Council previously allocated £200,000 to replace street litter bins and key road signage. This was intended to help reduce future budget pressures for replacements of bins and signs and would also help to enhance the streetscape and general appearance of the area by refreshing the street furniture. 4.2.2 At the June meeting of this Committee, in the same Council funded project update report mentioned above, the following information was provided: This funding has focused on replacing signage assets based on condition and road hierarchy, with a focus on directional and speed signage (and where required the posts supporting signs). We have been able to replace signs which were faded and rusted, work which we would not otherwise have been able to do through existing budgets. Costs vary according to the size of signs and what other infrastructure is required. The available funding has provided for a package of nearly 500 new signs across the Council area. The programme of installations is progressing will in the western areas (OLI and MAKI), and signs are on order for
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the eastern areas (BC and HL). Note that in line with Council policy and directional or place name signs will be bi-lingual with English and Gaelic. 4.2.3 We have successfully completed approximately 50% of sign replacements in the West (OLI and MAKI) with the remaining 50% of signs all ordered. In the East (BC & HL) signs are ordered and in stock with installation commencing at the time of writing this report, now that the majority of the roads reconstruction programme is complete. Appendix 1 of this reports shows some of the replacement signs which have been installed to date. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 This report provides a short update on the bin and signage replacement programmes. The bin programme will be more extensive than originally envisaged thanks to prudent alterations to the programme specification and a successful procurement exercise. The signage programme will be completed over the winter months – its delivery slowed during the summer months due to the need to focus resources on roads capital schemes. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – Signage being designed and erected in line with national requirements/regulation. 6.2 Financial – Funded through budgets allocated as detailed above. 6.3 Legal – none known. 6.4 HR – none known. 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: 6.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics 6.5.2 Socio-economic Duty – none known 6.5.3 Islands – none known 6.6 Climate Change – none known. 6.7 Risk – none known. 6.8 Customer Service – none known. Kirsty Flanagan, Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services Jim Smith, Head of Roads and Infrastructure Services Policy Lead for Roads and Transport Councillor, Andrew Kain
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November 2022 For further information contact: Tom Murphy, Operations Manager Tom.Murphy@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Example of signs replaced
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APPENDIX 1 – EXAMPLE OF SIGNS REPLACED