Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Hire of Winter Maintenance Vehicles (Gritters)
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Executive Decision Notice – 11 September 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision Hire of Winter Maintenance Vehicles
Reference No. 1516
Date of decision Thursday 11 September 2025
Call-in expiry date Thursday 18 September 2025
Relevant Select
Committee
Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee
Relevant Wards N/A
Decision made
Cabinet Members
making the decision
Councillor Ian Edwards – Leader of the Council
Councillor Steve Tuckwell – Cabinet Member for Planning,
Housing & Growth
Decision Approved
That the Leader of the Council, in consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Growth:
1) A ccepted the single tender from Econ Engineering
Limited for the provision of hire, maintenance and
delivery of eight winter maintenance vehicles
(gritters) to the London Borough of Hillingdon for 26
weeks, from 1 st October 2025 through to the 31 st
March 2026 at a total cost of £ 189,182. The cost of
this contract will be funded from the existing Fleet
Service Revenue budget.
2) Agreed a 15% provision for contingency to cover off
hire damage costs at a cost of £28,377.
Reason for decision To ensure gritting arrangements are in place for the upcoming
winter season.
Following a comprehensive review of alternative hire options,
officers consider the award to Econ Engineering to be the only
viable route for award. No other manufacturer is able to provide
the vehicles required and / or necessary operational support.
The option of contract hire facilitates greater flexibility and cost
effectiveness as compared to outright purchase. By appointing
Econ Engineering Limited, the Council will benefit from reliability
and strong maintenance support when required. This includes a
Executive Decision Notice – 11 September 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
commitment to provide a spare gritter where one of the leased
vehicles is off the road for repairs for more than 24 hours.
Alternative options
considered and
rejected
LBH could have chosen to purchase its own fleet of gritters.
However, for operational effectiveness it is important that gritters
have maximum ‘up time’, so they are ready to be deployed as
required. The age profile of vehicles with the supporting
maintenance regimes maximises operational reliability. The
added benefits relate to not having to keep and insure vehicles
on site for the 26 weeks of the year they are not used is
considered added value.
The winter maintenance programme is considered to be a high-
risk service and any reduction in fleet size would have a negative
impact on service delivery and potentially result in more
insurance related claims against the Council.
Classification Part II – Members’ Only and Not for Publication
Link to associated
report
That this report be declared as exempt from publication as
it involves the disclosure of information in accordance with
Section 100(A) and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A)
to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), in that the
report contains information relating to the financial or
business affairs of any particular person (including the
authority holding that information) and th at the public
interest in withholding the information outweighs the public
interest in disclosing it.
Relevant Officer
contact & Directorate
Steve Gunter / Michelle Kenyon, Residents Services Directorate
Any interest declared
by the Cabinet
Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in
[Internal Use only]
When can this
decision be
implemented by
officers?
Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only
from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:
5pm on Thursday 18 September 2025
However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a
valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise
the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold.
Councillor scrutiny
call-in of this
decision
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice
may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the
expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above.
Executive Decision Notice – 11 September 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their
devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought
from Democratic Services if required:
Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure)
Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The
Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access
to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.
This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive
decision, including links to the reports where applicable.
If you would like more information on this decision, please contact
Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email:
democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk.
Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including
Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group
Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the
Council’s website.
Democratic Services
London Borough of Hillingdon
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