Cleland firm should be given a chance to tender its services

Business Gateway provides practical information and support to individuals setting up or growing an existing business.

The local Lanarkshire Business Gateway service is currently delivered through a single contract with Lanarkshire Enterprise Services Ltd, managed by North Lanarkshire Council on behalf of both Lanarkshire councils.

The current Business Gateway contract comes to an end on September 30 and rather than a single contract, there are now plans to split it into a series of lots in order to provide a range of advisory services, training workshops, local prospecting and marketing.

It is expected that the contracts for the lots will be awarded in August, prior to the new services commencing on October 1.

Councillor Curran has received a letter from an employee of ground investigation contractor Hydracrat to say they had missed the deadline, but could they still be considered for the tendering process.

He said: “Hydracrat has been around for about 30 years so we know they are no fly-by-night operation and it’s not like we have lots of local companies with expertise in their field.

“As such I would ask the head of planning regeneration to consider putting them on the list since it is still some months before we go to tender.

“I am not asking they be given a contract, I am only asking they be given the opportunity to take part in the process as it could be another four or five years before they get another chance.”

Council officials have told councillors to submit any details of firms who have been in contact to say they missed the deadline for consideration and they’ll look into it.