Liverpool Council’s long-term successor to Bulky Bob’s could be confirmed by next month.
In October, the city council said it was ending its more than two-decade relationship with Bulky Bob’s - part of the FRC Group - having deemed its terms to no longer represent best value. The council had used the company, part of the FRC Group, to collect and dispose of large furniture items for residents across the city since 2000.
Distinctive purple trucks have been a regular sight in wards throughout Liverpool picking up pieces from outside homes. The last seven-year contract between the two partners ended after they were unable to reach an agreement.
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Last month, Bulky Bob’s boss Shaun Doran said he had “no beef” with the city council as the FRC Group launched its new paid collection service. A report to Liverpool Council’s neighbourhoods committee has outlined when the local authority will appoint a new long-term successor to continue its own free provision.
Tender documents went live in February for a provider to take up the role until March 2026. After Bulky Bob’s stepped away, the council’s streetscene team (LSSL) stepped in on a temporary basis to fill the void.
The committee report said: “Since LSSL has taken over the service there have been continued improvements with the average wait time now at around 1.5 weeks for collection and the number of collections available rising to 1,000 slots a week for residents to use. Work under way to put in a longer term contract with a recommendation going to Cabinet in April.”
When the end of the partnership with Bulky Bob’s was confirmed last year, Cllr Liam Robinson, then cabinet member for neighbourhoods and now finance lead, said the decision to sever ties boiled down to “best use of taxpayer’s resources.” Internal emails from the local authority, seen by the LDRS, showed the company was asked to price an extension to their current contract but “on this occasion, their costs did not provide best value.”
Speaking to the ECHO in February, Mr Doran said it had not been a surprise that its working relationship with the council came to an end. 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.” Bulky Bob’s now charges £30 for the pick-up and removal of five bulky household items.
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