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Summary
Fenland District Council's Cabinet met on 15 September 2025, and agreed to recommend to the council the procurement of new HGV vehicles for refuse, recycling and cleansing services, and noted an update from the Investment Board. They also reviewed the draft six-month cabinet forward plan.
Refuse, Recycling and Cleansing HGV Fleet Replacement
The Cabinet agreed to recommend to the council the approval of the procurement of HGV vehicles as part of the ongoing Fleet Replacement Plan. They also agreed to recommend that the council delegate the procurement of these vehicles to the corporate director with responsibility for Environmental Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder responsible for street sweeping, recycling and refuse collection.
The council needs a fleet of 20 HGV vehicles to provide services such as domestic waste and recycling, garden waste, commercial waste and street sweeping. The council has a Fleet Replacement Plan in place for these vehicles as they come to the end of their serviceable lives.
Lead times for these types of vehicles are increasing and can be 12 months. The council has an approved vehicle and capital replacement plan. The vehicles being replaced will have been in service for between 9 and 15 years.
The report noted that the total value of required vehicles that will need to be ordered within the next 24 months is expected to be around £2,560,000. The Chief Finance Officer will determine the best value means of financing these vehicles.
The report included a table showing the Fleet HGV Replacement Schedule for 2026-2029:
| Vehicle Type | Service Area | Age1 | Delivery | Cost Est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 Capital Commitment | ||||
| 12 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Garden Waste | 15 yrs | Apr 26 | £155,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Garden Waste | 10 yrs | Apr 26 | £233,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Refuse/Recycling | 10 yrs | Apr 26 | £233,000 |
| 18 Tonne Street Sweeper | St. Cleansing | 12 yrs | Apr 26 | £190,000 |
| Total | £811,000 | |||
| 2027/28 Capital Commitment | ||||
| 7.5 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Refuse/Recycling | 10 yrs | Apr 27 | £135,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Refuse/Recycling | 10 yrs | Apr 27 | £240,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Refuse/Recycling | 10 yrs | Apr 27 | £240,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Garden Waste | 10 yrs | Apr 27 | £240,000 |
| Total | £855,000 | |||
| 2028/29 Capital Commitment | ||||
| 7.5 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Refuse/Recycling | 10 yrs | Apr 28 | £140,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Commercial Waste | 9 yrs | Apr 28 | £260,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Refuse/Recycling | 10 yrs | Apr 28 | £250,000 |
| 26 Tonne Refuse Freighter | Refuse/Recycling | 10 yrs | Apr 28 | £250,000 |
| Total | £900,000 |
The council has a statutory duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to collect household waste and specified recyclable household waste. From 2026 these duties will also include the weekly collection of domestic food waste.
Investment Board Update and Review of the Commercial and Investment Strategy
The Cabinet noted a report from the Investment Board. They also agreed that the ongoing review of the current Commercial and Investment Strategy as determined by the constitution and delegated to the S151 officer2 is still currently deferred.
The Investment Board was created on 16 January 2020 to help drive forward the council's Commercial and Investment Strategy which was approved by Full Council on 9 January 2020. The Investment Board is a sub-committee of Cabinet designed to be more fleet of foot
in order to be able to respond to opportunities in an agile and commercial manner.
The Investment Board is responsible for implementing the Commercial and Investment Strategy including oversight of the council's companies and partnerships.
Work has continued during the 2025-26 financial year to progress the two identified sites, the Nene Waterfront in Wisbech and The Elms in Chatteris and outline planning permission has now been granted for both sites.
Fenland Future Ltd (FFL) own the Nene Waterfront, Wisbech site and are in conditional contract to complete the transfer of the land off The Elms, Chatteris subject to a Reserved Matters Planning approval.
The formal review of the Commercial and Investment Strategy is currently on hold as the focus has changed to delivering the Fenland Inspire programme. Additionally, the present economic conditions are challenging and interest rates in particular make it extremely difficult to identify new opportunities.
It was noted that in December 2024 Local Government Reorganisation was announced and this will undoubtedly lead to a strategic assessment of priorities.
Draft Six-Month Cabinet Forward Plan
The Cabinet considered the Draft Six-Month Cabinet Forward Plan.
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