City of Bayswater to issue tenders to supply concrete for just 12-months

CITY of Bayswater will issue a tender for the supply and delivery of concrete for one year instead of three years, despite officers recommending to award Ransberg Pty Ltd a tender to operate at its Collier Road concrete batching plant.

The council and some Bayswater residents fought for eight years against Ransberg’s proposal, which was approved by the State Administrative Tribunal in December 2016.

In 2016, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) determined not to assess the proposal and was of a view that potential impacts of the proposal could be adequately managed by the applicants’ mitigation and management measures.

The Department of Environment Regulation issued a works approval on January 19, 2017, to commence on January 23, 2017.

The City received two tenders from Ransberg and current contractor Multimix Pty Ltd, which had been supplying and delivering pre-mixed concrete for the City at its plant in Wright Street, Bayswater for 25 years.

Officers recommended to approve Ransberg’s proposal that costed $737,700 compared to $755,320 with Multimix.

At last night’s committee meeting, the council voted 7-2 behind closed doors, to reject the tenders and for chief executive Andrew Brien to issue a new tender for 12 months, with an additional 12 month option at the council’s discretion.

Councillors Brent Fleeton and Giorgia Johnson voted against it.

Bayswater resident Barry Kramer said the Collier Road plant was in breach of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s 2015 recommendation to refuse the application because it did not provide the official buffer requirement.

Mr Kramer said the plant also did not comply to the Western Australian Planning Commission’s advice to not to allow a noxious industry on the boundary of an industrial estate and the EPA’s requirements to have a minimum 300m to 500m separation distance to sensitive land use.

“I personally believe your ratepayers – the owners of this Council, would not appreciate you rewarding them with a $738,000 contract for the supply to our City with concrete,” he said.

Mayor Dan Bull said the council reviewed previous three-year arrangements and decided a one-year contract was the best option and value for ratepayers.

“In the past market values for materials have changed and have sometimes fallen,” he said.

“Given the current economic climate, we felt it was in the best interest of our community not to lock in a three year fixed-price arrangement.”