Dumfries and Galloway Council signs early contract renewal with Fraikin

18 September 2006

Dumfries and Galloway Council has signed an early extension of its full service contract hire agreement with Fraikin until March 2012. The extension reflects the strength of the relationship between the two organisations and enables the Council to benefit from a number of significant advantages.

These include Fraikin replacing 23 of the Council’s refuse collection vehicles two and a half years early, with the new trucks providing an opportunity to re-configure the fleet to better suit both current and future recycling targets.

Expected to enter operation between January and April 2007, the delivery of Dennis Eagle vehicles will conform to stringent new Euro 4 emission standards, making them some of the cleanest and greenest commercial vehicles in Scotland.

The new contract was signed at the Council Offices in Dumfries on Friday September 15, by the Chairman of the Combined Services Committee, Councillor Sean Marshall, along with the Corporate Director of Combined Services, Geoff Lewis and Councillor Grahame Forster.

Commenting on the agreement, Councillor Marshall said: “I am pleased to see the Council taking advantage of close partnership working to achieve a more efficient operation of the business with the potential for savings.”

John Ball, Chairman and Managing Director of Fraikin, added: “We are looking forward to working even more closely with the Council as the new contract unfolds, and I believe this is a clear reflection of the added value that Fraikin is able to offer.”

The contract extension will also see Fraikin acquire additional responsibilities for the Council, including taking over the day-to-day fleet management when Ian Simpson, currently Fleet Manager, retires in December 2006.

Fraikin currently supplies and maintains a mixed fleet of approximately 300 commercial vehicles supporting the Council’s Combined Services division, ranging from street sweepers and grounds maintenance vehicles through to larger 26 tonne recycling trucks. It employs 15 full time staff split between its main service facility in Cresswell Avenue, Dumfries, and a satellite in Commerce Road, Stranraer.

The Stranraer operation was opened in July 2006 and already sees staff from both organisations sharing the facility and working side by side.