Rotherham Council sidesteps tendering rules over advertising contract

The council side-stepped its own standing orders to hand Rob Hannon’s Rainforest Graphics the rights to print the All Saints’ Square ads for town centre businesses.

Rainforest stands to make up to £94,000, less its printing and manufacturing costs, from the subsidised ads.

The council is investing £15,000 in the project, from its Local Authority Business Growth Incentives and Yorkshire Forward funding pots.

The adverts will remain on display for at least 12 months and until a decision is taken about what should replace the demolished All Saints’ Building.

Rainforest approached the council with the project after a number of firms had individually asked the authority about buying temporary space to plug their companies.

Advert prices start at £580 for single boards and go up to £1,700 for a four-panel option. They will be blended together to create a continuous stream design around the whole site.

Managing director Mr Hannon said that the project not going out to tender was a matter for the local authority, as was its investment of £15,000.

But he said that there had been a great response from retailers, adding: “It’s been very positive, and will make a huge difference visually to the town centre.

“That’s the primary purpose, to make it look a lot more attractive and to promote the town centre goods and services.”

Minutes from a council committee meeting said: “There was only one company who had provided the concept and, therefore, consideration was given to exempt the project from the provision of standing order 38.4.2.”

It was resolved in the meeting that the project would not go out to tender, due to the “specialist nature” of the project.

A council spokeswoman said: “The cost of this project is minimal to the authority, compared with other artwork or advertising projects. There is no risk to us.”

A town centre business newsletter issued earlier this year said: “The town centre, Rotherham Borough Council and Yorkshire Forward have joined up with the Chamber of Commerce and a private Rotherham company, Rainforest, to offer town centre businesses a heavily subsidised advertising opportunity.”

Cllr John Gilding, who raised the subject of the hoardings at a council meeting last week, said: “I’d like to see the hoardings down all together, so I’m greatly disappointed that it all seems to be done and dusted already.

“It should be grassed over and tidied up, even temporarily. It’s an opportunity to greatly enhance that part of town and that’s what we should be doing.”

The adverts should be up by early June.