Oakham Town Council Floral Tenders Corruption?

Oakham Town Council Floral Tenders Corruption?

For over two years I and other have been very unhappy with the spiralling costs of purchasing the hanging baskets for the town.

The average cost of a basket around £160.

It took some time to learn the contract had been awarded to a former employee of the council.

The Clerk constantly said no one else was interested in tendering, it was not until the present contractor
said they were selling their business did the contract go back out to tender.

The contract for the floral displays is  very lucrative the contractor remained the same this year but the bill was drastically reduced and the explanation from the Clerk is they reduced the quantity supplied, rather strange when the tender was for the same. The current contractor gave up the watering contract it became clear this was overpriced when a company took on the contract and then sub contracted it to a local company.

Even though the Clerk kept saying no one would be interested in tendering he has been contacted by five companies who wish to tender.

I won't republish how much the tax payer has been ripped off over many years, in a hope the new tenders will reflect a true market value.

I was pleased to be able to pass on a request from a Independent Rutland Garden centre I hope they put in a good tender because it would be good to keep this local.