Report attached.

Cabinet:

1.     Approved the procurement of a two-stage tender process via Lot 1 of the Fusion 21 Refurbishment, Construction,New Build and Modular Buildings Framework for building safety remedial/improvement works to the Council’s high-riskbuildings,comprising Pre-Construction Services (Stage 1) and Works (Stage 2), with a total indicative value of £13.4 million. 

2.     Approved a waiver of the Council’s default evaluation criteria of 70% Price: 30% Quality and instead award the contracts on the MEAT basis of a 60% Quality, 30% Price, and 10% Social Value weighting for the reasons set out in Section 4 of this report, Procurement Proposals. 

3.     Delegatedthe approval of the award of the Pre-Construction Services Agreement (Stage 1) and the works contract (Stage 2) to the Strategic Director of Place, acting in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources and the Deputy Director of Legal & Governance. 

4.     Delegated the change of procurement route from a framework to a Dynamic Procurement system (DPS), if required, to the Strategic Director of Place. 

Report Title: Building Safety Works – Residential High-Rise Buildings 

Presented by: Councillor Paul McGeary - Lead Member for Housing & Property 

Summary:

This report presents recommendations to undertake essential fire safety works to a number of the Council’s high rise buildings to ensure their continued safety and the safety of our residents. 

1.      Following the implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022 in October 2023 and the introduction of the new Building Safety Regulator, the Council has registered each of its high-rise (18m+) residential buildings. These buildings are classified by the Building Safety Regulator as High Risk Buildingsand for each of them, a Building Safety Case File has been prepared, as required by the Act. 

2.     The Council needs to undertake some building safety works to all ten of its older high-rise blocks, as detailed in each building’s Building Safety Case File. The Blocks included are; 

1.                Blk 1-53 Elizabeth House 

2.                Blk 1-53 Mountbatten House 

3.                Blk 1-53 Victoria House 

4.                Blk 1-53 Edinburgh House 

5.                Blk 1-48 Uphavering House 

6.                Blk 3-52 Parkview House 

7.                Blk 1-48 Overstrand House 

8.                Blk 1-57 Kipling Towers 

9.                Blk 1-57 Dryden Towers 

10.            Blk 1-76 Highfield Towers. 

3.     The works are varied and complex and in some cases, may be disruptive to residents. They will therefore be difficult to design and manage and a significant amount of effort will need to be focussed on resident communications and liaison. 

4.     In order to help manage the complexity and associated risk, it is proposed to procure the works on the basis of a two-stage tender process. This will enable the contractor to be engaged early (Stage 1) and be involved in the development of designs, specifications, resident consultation and programming of the works before actually undertaking the works (Stage 2). The procurement team have advisedtendering the works through a suitable public sector framework (the Fusion21 framework), to ensure only suitably experienced, pre-vetted contractors are invited to tender in a legally compliant manner. It is proposed to use Fusion21’s tender portal for speed and efficiency. 

5.     The Pre-Construction Services (Stage 1) and the works (Stage 2) have a combined indicative value of £13.4 million. 

6.     It is essential that the Council deliver these works within the proposed timescalesin order to act as a responsible landlord and demonstratecompliance, as failure to do so could result in fines and charges being brought against the Council for non-compliance. 

Cabinet:

1.      Approved the procurement of a two-stage tender process via Lot 1 of the Fusion 21 Refurbishment, Construction,New Build and Modular Buildings Framework for building safety remedial/improvement works to the Council’s high-riskbuildings,comprising Pre-Construction Services (Stage 1) and Works (Stage 2), with a total indicative value of £13.4 million. 

2.     Approved a waiver of the Council’s default evaluation criteria of 70% Price: 30% Quality and instead award the contracts on the MEAT basis of a 60% Quality, 30% Price, and 10% Social Value weighting for the reasons set out in Section 4 of this report, Procurement Proposals. 

3.     Delegatedthe approval of the award of the Pre-Construction Services Agreement (Stage 1) and the works contract (Stage 2) to the Strategic Director of Place, acting in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources and the Deputy Director of Legal & Governance. 

4.     Delegated the change of procurement route from a framework to a Dynamic Procurement system (DPS), if required, to the Strategic Director of Place.