Transfleet council coup
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• Hinkley and Bosworth Council has become the fifth local authority in the UK to put its municipal business out to tender. The winner of the contract, Transfleet Services, says its sixth local authority deal is also on its way. As part of a 22.5 million vehicle hire and maintenance deal, Hinkley and Bosworth Council has sold its 102-vehicle fleet, which comprises agricultural tractors, light vans, HGVs, road sweepers and refuse collectors, to Transfleet.
The company has also agreed to lease the council's maintenance depot in Middlefield Lane, Hinkley and the site will now be turned into a fully operational Transfleet depot, offering contract hire, truck rental and vehicle maintenance. The Hinkley deal brings the total number of Transfleet operating depots up to 21. All council employees working at the Middlefield Lane depot have been offered jobs with Transfleet Services. The company is also hoping to update the current vehicle fleet within the next few weeks with the delivery of 22 new vehicles, worth around £250,000.
Transfleet began work for the council at the beginning of October, and Michael Evans, director of Public Services in Hinkley and Bosworth Council, says services have not been affected: "After much consideration by the council we decided to put the business out to tender as we felt it would offer the council greater flexibility. Leasing the depot to Transfleet does not save us much money on the vehicle hire and maintenance contract in the short run, but it should be financially beneficial in the long run."
Transfleet has four other public-service contracts, with Woking Borough Council, Runnymede Borough Council, Three Rivers District Council and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It hopes to announce another local authority contract soon.