The Provision of a Community Wardens service

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council invites tenders for the provision of a Community Warden service in the Borough, as set out in more detail in the Tender Documents. Officers engaged in the services will at all times undertake on and off street parking and environmental enforcement and shall also act in an ambassadorial role for the Council

The Council currently has an external contract service provision for the enforcement and an in-house service for the administration of on and off-street parking in the Borough. The Council currently also has an external contract service provision for the enforcement and processing of environmental fixed penalties. However, as part of this contract the processing of FPN’s will be undertaken in house The Council therefore wishes to enter into a contract with a contractor for the provision of the enforcement services for both parking and environmental contraventions / offences. Other related tasks such as payment collection, appeals processing permit management and production of prosecution case files, will be carried out by Council staff.

It is fundamental to the success of this Contract that Tenderers recognise, and show that they understand the nature of parking and environmental provision and enforcement, and that as a result, they recognise the need for absolute clarity of responsibility, and the need to provide a seamless service to the public.

It is proposed that the new contract will have an increased focus on the ambassadorial role of the officers as a point of information. The ambition is for this contract in particular to support an improved environmental experience for those living, working and visiting Sefton. This is borne of a desire to enhance the ‘Place’ in which we work, rest and play by working in smarter ways to improve productivity and deliver more with our existing resources. This will result in Council officers and contractors taking an increased responsibility for the quality of environment they are working in on a day to day basis. The contract will include the following:

• Community Support by assisting with directions, public transport information, etc

• Providing intelligence for the Council to act upon including pavement hazards (A boards / café overspill), broken street furniture, broken street lighting, exposed utility works, fly posting, potholes, overhanging trees, skips / scaffolding, etc

• Reporting ‘Fresh Issues’ (where quick action required) such as fly tipping

• Acting as a signpost for Council services and activities and encouraging participation. This could include health promotions, the leisure and cultural offer, events, etc