Decision details
Ubico Service Agreement
Decision Maker: Executive
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
To approve the new Service Agreement between
WODC and Ubico
Decisions:
Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of the Council, presented the item the purpose of which was to move to a single, common service agreement to be adopted by all Ubico shareholder councils and effective from April 2027, with council?specific service specifications appended.
Councillor Graham stated that this approach would secure the delivery of service beyond the current contract end date in March 2027, retain local flexibility over service scope and standards and introduce consistency in legal structure, definitions, and core contractual provisions across the Ubico Shareholding partnership. The proposed agreement had updated terminology, reflected legislative change, standardised notice periods, and included specific provisions to ensure continuity of services in the event of local government reorganisation. Importantly, it did not change the Shareholder Agreement or the Council’s role as an owner of Ubico. Adoption of the common Service Agreement would provide greater clarity, resilience and long?term planning certainty while retaining strong council control over service scope, cost and performance, within the existing shareholder governance framework.
Councillor Graham proposed accepting the recommendations in the report and reminded those attending that there were mechanisms available to make complaints and comment on the services provided by Ubico.
Alternative options detailed in the report included: Do nothing – Retain the existing WODC?specific agreement. This would have perpetuated inconsistency across shareholders and required a separate renegotiation for WODC by March 2027. Re?procure services externally. This would have introduced significant cost, risk and service disruption. Neither alternative option was recommended.
Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Executive Member for Environment, seconded the proposal.
This was voted on and agreed unanimously.
The Executive resolved to:
1. Approve the Ubico Service Agreement in principle.
2. Delegate authority to Director of Place in consultation with The Leader of the Council, to:
a. Agree and approve the final wording of the Service Agreement before the current contract expires at the end of March 2027.
b. Agree and approve the final wording of the Lease Agreement
c. Agree and approve the updated Service Specification
Report author: Si Pocock-Cluley
Publication date: 13/03/2026
Date of decision: 11/03/2026
Decided at meeting: 11/03/2026 - Executive
Accompanying Documents:
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