The boss of Bulky Bob’s said he has “no beef” with Liverpool Council as the furniture service launches its new operation following the end of a two-decade partnership with the local authority.
Almost three months ago, Liverpool Council ended its partnership with the FRC Group - which operates the bulky collection service - after 22 years having deemed its terms to no longer represent best value. The local authority had used the company to collect and dispose of large furniture items for residents for free across the city since 2000.
Now, the service is to relaunch, independent of the city council, providing a paid collection of £30 for five items in brand new pink vans across Liverpool. Speaking at the launch, Shaun Doran, chief executive of the FRC Group said it had not been a surprise that its working relationship with the council came to an end.
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He said: “We'd run the contract for 22 years and we're really committed to working with partners of all descriptions. It was great for us to have that partnership with Liverpool Council but what happened followed on probably from the years of austerity, the council’s budget began to erode.
“They were in a position where it was difficult for them to fund the more expensive collection and reuse service and it reached a point where it was sort of untenable for them to fund it. It was also untenable for us to continue to run the service at effectively a loss or a contribution from us.”
Since ending the partnership with the popular Bulky Bob’s provider, Liverpool Council has stepped in to continue the free service. Mr Doran said he recognised the “tough decision” the authority had to take and wanted to work alongside the city.
He said: “We've got no beef with the council, we had a great partnership for 22 years. They're in a very tough spot, not only around bulky household waste, but around the many services they have to deliver. We’ve certainly got no beef with them.
“It was no surprise to us. We'd seen this being signalled one way or the other, either by the council or just the general goings on within local authorities. The money was becoming tighter and when you go through year after year of budget cuts, you do wonder whether next year is the year it ends.”
Mr Doran said parting ways was not something either party wanted to happen but it had been clear “for at least five years” by the end of its most recent contract that “it wouldn’t be business as usual, something’s got to give.” The distinctive purple Bulky Bob’s trucks have been a regular sight in wards throughout Liverpool picking up furniture from outside homes.
Addressing staff as he unveiled the new pink vans at its headquarters on Brunswick Business Park, Mr Doran said over its two decades across the city Bulky Bob’s had made more than one million pick-ups and collected around three million items for reuse. Speaking to the ECHO, the chief executive said the new £30 pick-up fee was the “absolute cost” of providing a new service.
He said the fee could be reduced in future depending on demand. Mr Doran added: “We’re not doing this to make money, it’s a non-profit service.
“We as an organisation are here to help end people in furniture poverty.” The service is now live via the Bulky Bob’s website or new app.
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