Purpose

The Council has a responsibility to
investigate and enforce noise nuisance under the Environmental
Protection Act 1990.
 
To be able to ascertain whether a noise
constitutes a nuisance under this legislation, the Council is
required to witness or record this noise to make an informed
judgement. The evidence obtained by any noise monitoring equipment
needs to meet certain criteria to be able to be used
in court.
 
Extensive research has been carried out into
the various products available including products manufactured
outside the UK.
 
Cirrus Research PLC is the only company who
have specifically developed a product for environmental health
statutory nuisance monitoring. The equipment is easy for the public
to use, is more robust than other monitors, is tamper proof, has an
automatic function to record 30 seconds before the monitor is
turned on and 60 seconds after being switched off and includes
the ability to replay the nuisance in court
(not a function of other monitors).
 
The manufacture offers a 15-year warranty
including accidental damage.
 
Other companies provide noise monitors that
can be used for statutory nuisance do not have the features
required especially the robustness of the meters and components,
ease of use and the ability to play recordings in court as they
were witnessed in the property.
 
This is a one-off purchase of £14,261.00
with no on-going contract.
An exemption from Contract Standing Orders has
been formally requested and granted for this purpose due to the
limited supplier options for the equipment required.

Decision

To purchase the monitors for
£14,261.00.
 
Reason:
To provide the specialist monitors to enable
evidence to be recorded to enforce noise nuisance.