Council starts process to find next provider of public realm services

[Hereford Voice]

Providers of public realm services are being invited to tender for a major new contract to deliver ‘fit for the future’ services for Herefordshire

Public realm services are vital to local residents, businesses and communities as they include the maintenance of roads, roadsides, green areas and public spaces, street cleaning, highway drainage, street lighting and highway winter safety services. They help ensure the spaces where we live, work and travel are safe and clean.

The council’s vision is that all of these essential services are ‘fit for the future’ – that embrace technology, automation and digital innovation, that support a transition to electric plant, vehicles and new materials for carbon reduction, that continually improve through investment in developments and people, and that maximise opportunities and resources.

To meet this vision, the council has started the process of finding the next provider of public realm services with a view to securing a new contractor from 1 June 2026.

Councillor Harry Bramer, Cabinet Member for Community Services and Assets said: “The transformation of all of our services to ensure they embrace best practice, deliver innovation and demonstrate value for money is an integral part of our Council Plan.

“To have the best possible public realm services is essential for all of our residents and businesses. We need to appoint the best possible provider to work with us over at least the next seven to ten years, to deliver the best for our communities, keeping our roads and public spaces well maintained, safe and clean.

“In the tender documentation for this major new contract, we’ve clearly set out what we expect from our next public realm services partner. Through pre-testing with the market we are confident that there are providers of high quality services willing to submit a tender, and we look forward to finding out more about how they can support.us to provide high quality services for Herefordshire that are fit for the future.”

A Cabinet decision on the chosen public realm service provider is expected to be made in November 2025. The current contract with BBLP living places ends on 31 May 2026, and the new contract will start on 1 June 2026.