Decision details

Growing with B&NES - A partnership with the Genesis Trust

Decision Maker: Director Environment

Decision status: Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

The Council and the Genesis Trust have worked up a proposal for a 3 year trial, to reduce cost to the Council whilst maximising the use of the Council's plant nursery site to achieve Council corporate objectives, and the social objectives of the Genesis Trust which is a social enterprise. The Council will enter into an initial 3 year concession agreement to assess the success of the scheme in meeting the mutual objectives.

The Council will reduce risk to its volatile income streams by selling stock to the Genesis Trust and reducing its own direct sales of individual plants to residents, and as a result will be able to reduce headcount by holding vacant posts within the nursery.

Decision:

The Group Manager, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Development & Neighbourhoods will, subject to the necessary legal agreements, enter into a partnership with the Genesis Trust, working alongside Council staff, to grow and sell plants from the Council's plant nursery and to offer horticultural therapies to clients. This partnership will bring financial savings to the Council and will secure the nursery operation whilst expanding sales opportunities to residents and providing therapeutic activities and up-skilling for Genesis Trust clients.

Alternative options considered:

Option 1 - The council to recruit and continue to staff sales directly to the public 7 days per week. Rejected as being higher risk to the Council's income streams with no additional benefit and would include the need to require staff to work overtime or to recruit additional sales people for weekend work.

Option 2 - The plant nursery to close down and for all stock to be bought in without the need for additional growing, reducing the operational costs of the nursery and space requirements. Rejected pending the success of the pilot, but keeping open for review in future years.


Publication date: 17/01/2019

Date of decision: 17/01/2019