123 Insourcing Market Walk Security Contract
To consider and receive the report of the Director (Business, Development and Growth).
Additional documents:
Decision:
1. That members approve:
a) the procurement of additional CCTV equipment which will enable the existing Market Walk, as well as the new extension, to be monitored remotely by the Town Centre CCTV team.
b) the creation of new Market Walk & Town Centre Ambassador posts to patrol the town centre streets assisting in customer nformation/stewarding and reporting/supporting incidents.
c) the procurement of a security contractor for “event” style security for evening operational needs solely on the Market Walk extension.
d) increasing the resource in the central CCTV control room to monitor the increasing number of cameras being connected and specifically Market Walk and the Extension across all opening times.
2. That members approve that the existing security contract, for the existing Market Walk, is terminated in September 2019 (as current).
a) that the existing employees are transferred to the ambassador posts and offered the CCTV vacancies so that they do not suffer any financial detriment as a result of the contract for Market Walk coming in house.
b) that any employees recently appointed be subject to any probationary period demanded by the existing security company or failing this our own 6-month probationary period.
Minutes:
Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources), presented the confidential report of the Director (Business, Development and Growth) which seeks approval for bringing the Market Walk and Town Centre security provision in-house.
Decision:
1. That members approve:
a) the procurement of additional CCTV equipment which will enable the existing Market Walk, as well as the new extension, to be monitored remotely by the Town Centre CCTV team.
b) the creation of new Market Walk & Town Centre Ambassador posts to patrol the town centre streets assisting in customer information/stewarding and reporting/supporting incidents.
c) the procurement of a security contractor for “event” style security for evening operational needs solely on the Market Walk extension.
d) increasing the resource in the central CCTV control room to monitor the increasing number of cameras being connected and specifically Market Walk and the Extension across all opening times.
2. That members approve that the existing security contract, for the existing Market Walk, is terminated in September 2019 (as current).
a) that the existing employees are transferred to the ambassador posts and offered the CCTV vacancies so that they do not suffer any financial detriment as a result of the contract for Market Walk coming in house.
b) that any employees recently appointed be subject to any probationary period demanded by the existing security company or failing this our own 6-month probationary period.
Reasons for Recommendation(s):
The CCTV control room often rely on Market Walk camera positions to monitor incidents and currently this can only be achieved via verbal instruction and during staffed hours. By networking all the cameras together it provides uninterrupted and consistent monitoring/recording across extended hours of operation. Once being monitored remotely there is no need to monitor on site too.
By removing the CCTV monitoring from site, it enables more flexibility in the reconfiguration of the Market Walk management Suite space to enable the conversion to managed workspace.
There is a growing need for a uniformed presence within Market Walk and the Town Centre to deal with public nuisance issues such as beggars, unsociable behaviour and petty crime and a more proactive high-profile approach is required and better achieved under direct control.
The evening security requirement is an unknown and initially this will be best served through an “event” style crowd management guarding service supported by remote CCTV. Once the extension has been operating the service requirements can be reviewed to see if it can be better delivered through the expansion of Town Centre Ambassador hours instead.
A recent Counter Terrorism Vulnerability Survey carried out by the police identified a more proactive approach of surveillance across the Town Centre and Astley Park, especially around events. A visible Ambassador and increased CCTV monitoring capacity will help achieve this and mitigate against this risk.
Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:
To continue with the current security contract and extend the current static guard provision to cover the extension and extended operating hours. This was rejected due to continued poor service outside of our direct control.
To retender ... view the full minutes text for item 123