Issue - meetings

Report ES16054

A procurement strategy was proposed to tender for the maintenance, monitoring and aftercare of the closed landfill site at Coney Hill, Oxted, Surrey, assigned to L B Bromley in 1986 following abolition of the Greater London Council. The current seven year contract would expire on 27th July 2017 and it was proposed to let a contract for a further seven year period, with the option of a three year extension, and a further option to extend for an additional two years (following a best value review).

The site accepted no waste and was capped but generated landfill gas and leachate gas as the waste gradually degraded. Landfill gas was drawn from the site through a network of pipes and flared. Pipes also drew liquid leachate to a central lagoon from where it was tankered to an appropriate disposal facility. A network of gas and water monitoring boreholes outside the site boundary was used to check there is no leakage of the site’s contents. It was also necessary to monitor the pipeline networks and equipment to ensure they operated appropriately, with the equipment maintained and repaired as necessary. Tankering and disposal of the liquid leachate at appropriate disposal facilities was the contractor’s responsibility.

The Environment Agency monitored the site for compliance with environmental legislation and ensured the material remained contained without adversely affecting the surrounding environment. Based on analysis by the current contractor, estimates suggested that gas and leachate management/extraction would be required for a further 25 years, although volumes would reduce during the period, eventually falling to a minimal level. On confirmation of the site being effectively inert, the responsibility of L B Bromley would be fully discharged.

The two proposed extension options would allow the contract to be co-terminus with the wider bundle of Environment contracts being let in 2019. The total potential contract value amounted to £1,642,560, including both extensions.

An enquiry was made on whether the Council could achieve income from the site. Although it was particularly contaminated, investigations had previously considered whether methane could be taken but such an option was concluded to be unviable. Nevertheless, Cllr William Huntington-Thresher (Chairman of the Environment PDS Committee) highlighted an earlier  suggestion of positioning solar panels on the site which would be considered.  

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the procurement strategy set out in Report ES16054 be agreed; and

(2)  the authority to extend the contract, as necessary, be delegated to the Executive Director of Environment and Community Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder.