Second Attempt Made to Award Contract for New Recycling and Waste Transfer Station in Blaenavon

A DECISION to award a contract to draft detailed plans for a new recycling and waste transfer station has been taken – for a second time. 
The former Capital Valley recycling centre, at units one and two on the Kays and Kears Industrial Estate in Blaenavon, is to be redeveloped as a recycling and waste transfer station to handle discarded items and food waste from across Torfaen. 
Torfaen Borough Council agreed to purchase the site at a behind closed doors meeting in January. The council had been searching for a site since 2024 when it said plans to redevelop its own existing facility at Ty Coch, in Cwmbran, were no longer feasible. 
A new waste transfer station, to sort and store waste and recyclables, is also seen as crucial to boosting the borough’s recycling rate which lags behind the best preforming authorities in Wales. 
At the end of September council chief executive Stephen Vickers agreed to award the £1 million contract for the detailed design of the facility to the top scoring firm which bid for the contract under the council’s tender exercise. 
That firm also submitted the lowest total price, which was £494,120.18 lower than the rival firm’s bid in the exercise that was evaluated on the basis of 40 per cent quality and 60 per cent price. 
However though the decision, taken by Mr Vickers on behalf of a council director, was within the financial threshold for contract decisions that can be taken by officers it has been on hold due to a mix up over who should have approved the decision. 
When the council’s Labour cabinet agreed in January to purchase the site the report set out future decisions to progress the scheme would be delegated to the relevant cabinet member. 
As a result the same decision, to award the contract to the same successful firm, has now had to be taken by Councillor Sue Morgan. 
The identify of the successful firm hasn’t yet been revealed. 
The council will have to submit a planning application to redevelop the site and it is intended it will come into use from 2028.    ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​