A two decade partnership between Liverpool Council and a furniture collection firm formally ends today.
Last month, the ECHO revealed that the local authority was moving to terminate its relationship with Bulky Bob’s - part of the FRC Group - having deemed its existing terms to no longer represent best value. Since 2000, the council has used the company to collect and dispose of large furniture items for residents across the city.
Distinctive purple trucks have been a regular sight in wards throughout Liverpool picking up pieces from outside homes. The latest seven-year contract between the two partners ends today after they were unable to reach an agreement.
READ MORE: White van driver warned 'we have your reg plate' after flytipping
From tomorrow, Liverpool Council’s streetscene services will take over the collection of bulky items on an interim basis for six months. Cllr Liam Robinson, interim cabinet member for neighbourhoods, told a meeting of that same select committee in October that while the long-term collaboration had ended, it did not mean the two parties could not partner up again.
He said the decision to sever ties boils down to “best use of taxpayer’s resources” but it “isn’t the end of the road for Bulky Bob’s.” Cllr Robinson stressed that while the vehicles and staff providing it may change, the core tenets of the service will remain the same during the next six months as the council goes out to full tender.
In a statement on its website, FRC Group, said it could no longer subsidise the service itself and needed the contract to cover its costs. It said: “Bulky Bob’s has a fantastic partnership with Liverpool City Council starting over 20 years ago, redistributing millions of items of furniture and helping thousands of families.
“Along with many other providers of council services, we agreed to a large reduction in the contract value during austerity. Coupled with rising costs, we had to take the decision to financially subsidise the service ourselves, because we knew how many people we were able to help.
“Sadly as a responsible charity, we got to a point where we could no longer do this and we needed the bulky household waste contract to cover its costs. When Liverpool Council asked if we could continue for a further period, we had to submit a break-even price.”
The statement said the charity “fully appreciates” the difficult position the local authority was in as a result of its “huge financial pressures”. The charity said it planned to continue to work with the council to end furniture poverty but was forced to close its Bulky Bob’s Furniture World store on London Road on October 14.
During its tenure, Bulky Bob’s diverted an average of 1,300 tonnes of material away from incineration. An average of 47% is sent to incineration annually and the council said despite the change in service, no increase in fly tipping is expected.
Get the top stories straight to your inbox by signing up to our what's on newsletter
READ NEXT:
'Selfless mum' dies suddenly after birthday night out
Drug kingpin bought and sold millions of pounds of cocaine across the world
Audi at centre of arson attack which killed Liverpool grandad
Family run pub that 'fed thousands' closes its doors
People are only just realising what fourth side of a cheese grater is for
