Statement on Great Yarmouth Borough Services

In 2003 Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Norse Commercial Services established a joint venture company called Great Yarmouth Borough Services to deliver essential public services on behalf of the council.

Since then it has provided services including refuse collection and recycling, street cleaning, public toilet cleaning and maintenance, buildings cleaning, grounds maintenance services, vehicle maintenance, footway lighting maintenance, building and civic engineering work, burial services, and pest control.

The current arrangements were renewed in 2013, and are due to end in March 2023. Great Yarmouth Borough Council has decided not to renew the arrangements for a further term, and instead intends to create a new company, wholly-owned by the council, to deliver services in future.

Council leader Carl Smith said: "The joint venture with Norse has served us very well for nearly 20 years and we are pleased to have been able to work with Norse and the fantastic staff at GYBS to keep improving services over that period.

"However, many things have changed over that time and we think that with the contract coming to a natural end, 2023 is the right time to look again and make sure that services are as responsive to the needs of our residents as possible.

"We will be working with Norse on a smooth transfer in the months to come."

Norse Commercial Services interim chief operating officer Nick Maddox, said: "The staff at Great Yarmouth Borough Services can be very proud of the services they have delivered to residents for nearly 20 years, as part of the Norse Group.

"We look forward to continuing to work with the council on other services in the future, and we will fully support a seamless transition of current services and staff to the council's wholly-owned company."