The Publishable Officer Decisions meeting on 22 April 2025 saw the approval of a direct award of the CCTV Maintenance Contract to Tyco & Fire Integrated Solutions (UK) Limited t/a Tyco Integrated Fire & Security for a 12-month period. This decision was made due to the impracticability of completing a full procurement exercise before the existing contract's expiration. An urgency notice confirming a waiver of notice period and call-in was also issued.

CCTV Maintenance Contract

The council approved the direct award of the CCTV Maintenance Contract to Tyco & Fire Integrated Solutions (UK) Limited t/a Tyco Integrated Fire & Security for the period of 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, at a cost of £537,012.

The council entered into a four-year CCTV Maintenance Framework Contract in 2020 with Ealing, Islington and Southwark, with Hounslow as the lead borough. This contract, which expired on 31 March 2025, covered repairs and maintenance for CCTV cameras, technical equipment in control and server rooms, remote sites, and wireless networks, as well as new CCTV installations.

The report recommending the decision stated that:

The maintenance and installation of CCTV plays a fundamental role in ensuring the cameras across the borough are working, because they contribute to the Council’s ambitions on keeping Hounslow safe and managing traffic contraventions.

The report noted that a full procurement exercise could not be completed in time due to delays with a new framework involving the four boroughs, with Islington experiencing delays in gaining internal approval to carry out procurement for a new framework in 2025. The council therefore invoked Schedule 5, paragraph 7 of the Procurement Act 2023, which allows for the continuation of a supplier to avoid detriment to the delivery of functions, recommending a direct award.

The report stated that a change in supplier would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance, as Tyco & Fire Integrated Solutions (UK) Limited t/a Tyco Integrated Fire & Security installed the original CCTV system and possess detailed knowledge of the borough, equipment, and network.

The contract value increased by £97,139 compared to the previous year, due to the addition of 130 new cameras to the network during 2024-2025 and the inclusion of full 12-month maintenance costs.

The CCTV system supports the delivery of the council’s corporate plan priorities, specifically 'A Safer Hounslow' and 'A Cleaner Hounslow', as well as the borough’s Safer Communities Strategy 24-27. The council works with the police, who rely on CCTV to detect and solve crimes and anti-social behaviour.

The report considered the risk of not approving the direct award, stating that without it, the council’s CCTV cameras may not be repaired or maintained in a timely manner, which would have a detrimental effect. It also noted that traffic enforcement CCTV cameras generate revenue through fines, and non-functional cameras could lead to a loss of revenue and higher crime rates.

The cost of the contract will be covered by the Safer Communities Service, Housing, and Transport and Parking budgets.

The council considered that it had given due regard to its equalities duties and in particular section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, noting that CCTV cameras can deter, detect, and solve crime and anti-social behaviour, increasing feelings of safety and providing reassurance to hate crime victims and victims of violence against women and girls.

The CCTV cameras also play a key role in deterring and detecting the disposal of illegal waste, supporting the council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan by helping reduce the borough’s carbon footprint.

The Director Law and Governance (Monitoring Officer) Benita Edwards confirmed that the decision could be taken under delegated authority by the Interim Chief Executive Mandy Skinner, on the grounds of urgency, as delay would seriously prejudice the interests of the council or members of the public.