Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Minor Civil Engineering Works
Our working relationship with Stockport MBC spans the last 21 years, and we are proud to say that we have now been their highway partners for the last three framework agreements.
Our previous contracts involved Stockport MBC utilising the 5-year extension option once the original 5-years of the contract were up. This was then further extended by 18 months. This Alliance Framework was awarded the ‘Collaborative Partnership Award’ by CECA in 2021.
The current framework agreement was procured by STaR joint committee, the ground-breaking and award-winning shared procurement service for Stockport, Trafford and Rochdale Councils.
Under this framework, we work collaboratively with Stockport’s team to provide the successful delivery of approximately 50 to 70 schemes per year, varying in both scale and scope, from highway maintenance to flood alleviation. Our relationship with Stockport Council is a partnership, rather than that of a client and supplier. The on-site construction of each project is only a small part of the services that we bring to this alliance. Other invaluable services that we provide include:
Business plan submissions for funding applications
We have provided extensive resources to assist the Council’s team in a number of their funding applications. All of which have been successful and led to exceptional regeneration in the local area. These include:
Produce comprehensive bid applications to apply for project funding
Town Centre Access Programme
Working directly with Stockport’s in-house team and their design partners, Wilde Consulting Engineers, we developed designs, costings, and programmes for over 20 separate highway improvement schemes. We investigated buildability, best value solutions, Traffic Management options costings, and programmes all within a tight time scale of a few weeks to secure funding. In the interests of speed and consistency, we priced and programmed both our own works, and those of other partner contractors. In all we provided over 1,000 hours of free advice and engagement to Stockport. Our close early engagement, through the design and planning process, meant we were able to start on site with just one week’s mobilisation from receipt of final funding approval. With much of the detailed design yet to be completed, tight control of the programme and close collaboration with Stockport’s Highways and Traffic Management meant that we met the programme and handed over to the Building contractor on time. Our work with Stockport Council on TCAP was recognised publicly when we won the CECA NW Collaborative Contractor of the Year award, and Stockport Large Business of the Year.
Mayor Challenge Fund
Using the successful TCAP model, we developed outline designs and layouts, and built up cost profiles for not only our own works but also works that would be carried out by another contractor. Once funding was secured, we were able to prepare a detailed scheme cost and project construction programme hand in hand with the design team. This was in addition to engaging with Stockport’s own traffic control personnel to analyse the cost benefits. The process allows for several iterations of costings and programmes, reflecting changes or alternative approaches. Our work allows Stockport and their stakeholders to make informed decisions on the most suitable approach and to provide greater cost certainty to the project. One of the main scheme Bramhall Green – A6 Cycle Facilities (Link to case study) was in 2022, awarded the ‘Project of the Year Between £1-5 Million’ by CECA
A34 Major Roads Network Corridor Improvement Plan
We helped Stockport secure out-line business case approval for the multi project plan centred around the A34 in Stockport. We are currently working with them to design and cost the full business case for central government approval, with main works scheduled for Summer/ Autumn 2023
Measure and generate BoQ’s
We will take over the responsibility in producing a detailed BoQ for the Council when their resources are limited. This minimises delays and avoid additional costs being incurred.
Submission of traffic management requests and GMRAPS applications
As principle contractor, we are responsible for the liaison and coordination of; all utility companies, traffic signal installations carried out by TFGM, street lighting undertaken by Stockport SK solutions and carriageway surfacing carried out by Stockport’s other partner contractor Tarmac.
Redesigning schemes when they are over budget
On a number of occasions, schemes have been on the verge of being abandoned or at least postponed due to the costs of the initial designs being considerably over budget. In these instances, we will meet with the designers and Stockport’s engineers to discuss ways of reducing the costs whilst still creating quality schemes. Our experience provides us with the knowledge to recommend alternative cheaper products and methods to ensure the project can still go ahead.
Training of Council personnel
We encourage Stockport’s delivery team to attend our training days. This ensures that all team members are upto date with any contractual/health and safety related policy changes.
Procuring materials free of charge for community projects
As part of our ethos for giving back to the communities in which we serve, we often assist the council in the delivery of community projects, such as Mill Lane Baby Memorial.
The special nature of these agreements allows us to work with other local authorities that can ‘piggy-back’ the framework contracts.
They can reap the benefits that come along with having a framework in place but without the laborious selection process. These local authorities can act as temporary framework collaborators and use the terms, conditions and prices set out in the agreement, giving assurance that they will receive the best value. Local authorities that have already taken advantage of this system include; Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council and Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council.
Over the last 21 years we have worked tirelessly to ensure that our social value ambitions align with that of the councils. The frameworks enabled us to invest in the purchase of our own large dedicated offices and yard complex in the town, in 2011. Since then we have extensively grown our Stockport Branch including the hiring and training of; 15 apprentices/trainees, 20 long-term unemployed personnel, 4 ex-military personnel and 2 ex-offenders. Currently we have 21 local residents including 6 apprentices working within our Stockport team.
Social Impact is measured by STaR‘s own Social Value Matrix and at the last audit we are current outperforming our challenging Social value targets, recording scores of 118% of our set objectives.
Our Accreditations
